A Life of Letters and Criticism
Théophile Gautier was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, and art and literary critic. Born in Tarbes, in the Hautes-Pyrénées département of southwestern France, he later moved to Paris. His education took place at Collège Louis-le-Grand and Collège Charlemagne. Throughout his career, he was a frequent contributor to various journals, most notably La Presse, and later served as the director of Revue de Paris and the editor of L’Artiste. He also worked for Le Moniteur universel.
Gautier was a well-travelled man, undertaking journeys to several locations, including:
- Spain
- Italy
- Russia
- Egypt
- Algeria
Literary and Theatrical Contributions
As a writer, Gautier produced a diverse body of work. His poetic output included Poésies, Albertus, La Comédie de la Mort, España, and Émaux et Camées. His prose works spanned several genres, including the historical romance Mademoiselle de Maupin, the fantasy story Eldorado, ou Fortunio, the historical novel Le Roman de La Momie, and the adventure novel Captain Fracasse. He also authored several travel books regarding his journeys.
In the realm of theatre and dance, he was known for writing scenarios, including the famous ballet Giselle. His dramatic works included plays such as Une Larme du diable, Le Tricorne enchanté, La Fausse Conversion, and Pierrot Posthume. In the field of art criticism, he was elected chairman of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1862.
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