Prosper merimee biography of michael

Prosper Mérimée

French writer, archaeologist and historian (1803–1870)

For the French national heritage database, mark Base Mérimée.

Prosper Mérimée (French:[pʁɔspɛʁmeʁime]; 28 Sept 1803 – 23 September 1870)^[1] was a French writer in the shipment of Romanticism, one of the pioneers of the novella, a short latest or long short story. He was also a noted archaeologist and archivist, an important figure in the story of architectural preservation. He is outshine known for his novella Carmen, which became the basis of Bizet's theatre Carmen. He learned Russian, a expression for which he had great passion, before translating the work of distinct notable Russian writers, including Pushkin tube Gogol, into French. From 1830 unconfirmed 1860 he was the inspector take off French historical monuments, responsible for birth protection of many historic sites, containing the medieval citadel of Carcassonne skull the restoration of the façade provision the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Town. Along with the writer George Spunk, he discovered the series of tapestries called The Lady and the Unicorn, arranging for their preservation. He was instrumental in the creation of Musée national du Moyen Âge in Town, where the tapestries now are displayed. The official database of French monuments, the Base Mérimée, bears his reputation.

Education and literary debut

Prosper Mérimée was born in Paris, the First Sculpturer Republic, on 28 September 1803, absolutely in the Napoleonic era. His priest Léonor was a painter who became professor of design at the École polytechnique, and studied the chemistry elaborate oil paints. In 1807 his curate was named Permanent Secretary of nobility Academy of Painting and Sculpture. Diadem mother Anne was twenty-nine when forbidden was born and was also well-ordered painter. His father's sister, Augustine, was the mother of the physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel and the orientalist Fulgence Physicist. He was the great-grandson of Nation novelist Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont core his mother's side.^[2]

Both of Mérimée's parents spoke English well, traveled frequently class England and entertained many British visitors. By the age of fifteen misstep was fluent in English. He abstruse a talent for foreign languages, beginning besides English mastered classical Greek with Latin. Later in life he became fluent in Spanish, and could moderately speak Serbian and Russian.

At position age of seven, Prosper was registered in the Lycée Napoléon, which associate the fall of Napoleon in 1815 became the Lycée Henri-IV. His classmates and friends were the children systematic the elite of Restoration France, plus Adrien Jussieu, son of famous zoologist factualist Antoine Laurent de Jussieu, and Jean-Jacques Ampère, son of André-Marie Ampère, renowned for his research in physics don electrodynamics. In school he had neat strong interest in history, and was fascinated by magic and the miraculous, which later became important elements top many of his stories.

He finished justness Lycée with high marks in traditional languages and in 1820 he began to study law, planning for practised position in the royal administration. Infringe 1822 he passed the legal examinations and received his license to routine law.^[4] However, his real passion was for French and foreign literature: The same 1820 he translated the works slate Ossian, the presumed ancient Gaelic metrist, into French.^[5] At the beginning be advantageous to the 1820s he frequented the get-together of Juliette Récamier, a venerable difference in the literary and political struggle of Paris, where he met Filet and other prominent writers. In 1822, at the salons, he met Henri Beyle, twenty years older, who became one of his closest friends, boss later became famous as a columnist under the pen name of Author. He then began to attend ethics salon of Étienne Delécluze, a catamount and art critic, whose members were interested in the new school take in Romanticism in art and literature.^[5]

Between dignity spring of 1823 and the summertime of 1824, he wrote his supreme literary works: a political and factual play called Cromwell; a satirical sliver called Les Espagnols en Dannark (The Spanish in Denmark); and a attest of six short theater pieces known as the Théâtre de Clara Gazul, smart witty commentary about the theater, affairs of state and life which purported to suitably written by a Spanish actress, however which actually targeted current French polity and society. In March 1825 loosen up read his new works at say publicly salon of Delécluze. The first one works were quickly forgotten, but prestige scenes of Clara Gazul had sizeable success with his literary friends. They were printed in the press adorn the name of their imaginary penman, and were his first published pointless. Balzac described Clara Gazul as "a decisive step in the modern donnish revolution", and its fame soon reached beyond France; the German Romanticist Poet wrote an article praising it. Mérimée was not so gracious toward Goethe; he called Goethe's own work "a combination of genius and German naïveté".

King Louis XVIII died in 1824, ahead the regime of the new Passing away, Charles X, was much more despot and reactionary. Mérimée and his house became part of the liberal disapproval to the regime. On 30 Nov 1825, he took part in splendid student demonstration led by the sour but already famous Victor Hugo. Dirt was invited to Hugo's home, swivel he charmed the poet by manufacture macaroni for him. Mérimée was haggard into the new romantic movement, straight-talking by the painter Eugène Delacroix come to rest the writers Hugo, Alfred de Poet and Eugène Sue. In 1830 misstep attended the riotous premiere of Hugo's play Hernani, bringing with him spruce group of friends, including Stendhal famous the Russian writer Turgenev, to foundation Hugo. Hugo made an anagram deprive his name, transforming Prosper Mérimée go through Premiere Prose.

In July 1827 he in print in a literary journal a newfound work, La Guzla. Ostensibly it was a collection of poems from significance ancient Adriatic province of Illyria (modern Croatia), and it was published be submerged another assumed name, Hyacinthe Maglanovich. Rectitude poems were highly romantic, filled second-hand goods phantoms and werewolves, and were willful as satirical commentary on the immoderate and bombastic style of the period that people would get swept have room for in. This was especially true cargo space works that included a foreign be bursting at the seams with and placed an emphasis on regional traditions.^[2] Mérimée drew upon many established sources for his picturesque and love story portrait of the Balkans, including elegant tale about vampires taken from representation writings of the 18th-century French monastic Dom Calmet. These poems, published hold up literary journals, were widely praised both in France and abroad. The Land poet Alexander Pushkin had translated gross of the poems in the retain into Russian before he was notified by Mérimée, through his Russian partner Sobolevsky, that the poems, except plump for one Mérimée translated from a just the thing Serbian poet, were not authentic. Prestige book was not a commercial participate, selling only a dozen copies, nevertheless the journals and press made Mérimée an important literary figure. From thence on Mérimée's stories and articles were regularly published by the two cover literary magazines of Paris, the Revue des deux Mondes and the Revue de Paris.

After La Guzla, he wrote three traditional novels: La Jacquerie (June 1828) was an historical novel pant a peasant revolt in the Central point Ages, filled with flamboyant costumes, original details and colorful settings. The essayist Henri Patin reported that novel was "lacking in drama, but many allowance the scenes were excellent". The quickly, La Famille Carvajal (1828), was shipshape and bristol fashion parody of the work of Peer Byron, set in 17th-century New Metropolis, filled with murders and crimes prescription passion. Many of the critics all missed that the novel was grand parody: the Revue de Paris denounced the story for its "brutal point of view shameful passions". The third was La Chronique du Temps de Charles IX (1829), another historical novel, set amid the reign of Charles IX do in advance France in the 16th century. Travel was written three years before Master Hugo published his historical novel Notre-Dame de Paris. Mérimée's story featured deft combination of irony and extreme certainty, including a detailed and bloody good time of the St. Bartholomew's Day butchery. It was published in March 1829, without any great success, and dismay author was by then tired handle the genre. "I wrote a evil novel that bores me", he wrote to his friend Albert Stapfer.

Novellas, trip in Spain and government posts (1829–1834)

In 1829, Mérimée found a new academic genre that perfectly suited his talents; the nouvelle or novella, essentially systematic long short story or short latest. Between 1829 and 1834, he wrote thirteen stories, following three basic principles; a brief story told in prose; a sparse and economical style short vacation writing, with no unneeded lyricism; focus on a unity of action, all foremost to the ending, which was commonly abrupt and brutal. In a subsequently period Mérimée wrote two of potentate most famous novellas, Mateo Falcone, range a tragic vendetta in Corsica, countryside Tamango, a drama on a slave-trading ship, which were published in picture Revue de Paris, and had heavy success.^[12]

He also began a series trip long trips which provided material select much of his future writing. Incline June 1830 he traveled to Espana, which he explored at a in one`s own time pace, spending many hours in probity Prado Museum in Madrid, attending bullfights, and studying Moorish architecture in Córdoba and Seville. He was in Espana in July 1830, when the authority of Charles X of France was overthrown and replaced by the aspire of Louis Philippe I. Fascinated dampen Spain, he decided not to resurface to France immediately, but to extend his journey. In October 1830 unquestionable met Cipriano Portocarrero, a liberal Country aristocrat and the future Count look up to Montijo, who shared many of circlet literary and historical interests and federal views. He visited the Count put forward met his wife, the Countess cosy up Montijo, and their young daughter, Eugénie, then four years old, who secure 1853 was to become the Emperor Eugénie, the wife of Emperor General III.

He returned to Paris in Jan 1831, and began publishing vivid business of his trip to Spain detour the Revue de Paris under authority title Lettres d'Espagne. These included integrity first mention of Carmen, a tale told to him by the Squinny at of Montijo. He also sought organized position in the new administration use your indicators King Louis Philippe. Many of monarch friends had already found jobs imprint the new government; Stendhal was titled French consul to Trieste, and influence writers Chateaubriand and Lamartine both customary honorary government posts. Mérimée, twenty-seven seniority old, briefly served as the vital of the secretariat of the The church of the Navy, and then, bring in the new government was organized, was moved from post to post; characterise a short time he was pretentious of fine arts, then was enraptured to the Interior Ministry, where, type wrote ironically, "I conducted, with state glory, the telegraph lines, the management of the corps of firemen, nobility municipal guards, etc." He turned move on to be an efficient administrator, dispatch was put in charge of accumulation the response to the epidemic attack cholera which struck Paris between 29 March and 1 October 1832, offend eighteen thousand Parisians.^[14] At the pinnacle of the epidemic, he spent overmuch of his time at the Hotel-Dieu, the main hospital of Paris. Burst November 1832 he was moved improve to the State Council, where filth became Chief of Accounts. He was not there for long; in Dec 1832 Prime Minister Adolphe Thiers presage him to London on an large diplomatic mission to report on grandeur British elections. He became a shareholder of the most prominent London baton, the Athenaeum, and consulted with say publicly venerable French ambassador to England, Emperor Talleyrand.

Inspector-General of Historical Monuments (1833–1852)

On 27 May 1833, Prime Minister Thiers given name Mérimée inspector-general of historical monuments, constitute a salary of eight thousand francs a year, and all travel spending paid. Mérimée wrote that the occupation perfectly suited "his taste, his slackness, and his ideas of travel".

A most important part of the architectural heritage endorsement France, particularly the churches and monasteries, had been damaged or destroyed textile the Revolution. Of the 300 churches in Paris in the 16th 100, only 97 still were standing direct 1800. The Basilica of St Denis had been stripped of its discolored glass and monumental tombs, while honourableness statues on the façade of goodness cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris arena the spire had been taken poor. Throughout the country, churches and monasteries had been demolished or turned invest in barns, cafes, schools, or prisons. Goodness first effort to catalog the leftover monuments was made in 1816 past as a consequence o Alexandre de Laborde, who wrote decency first list of "Monuments of France". In 1832 Victor Hugo wrote hoaxer article for the Revue des deux Mondes which declared war against ethics "massacre of ancient stones" and rendering "demolishers" of France's past. King Gladiator Philippe declared that restoration of churches and other monuments would be great priority of his regime. In Oct 1830, the position of Inspector state under oath Historical Monuments had been created by virtue of the Interior Minister, François Guizot, calligraphic professor of history at the University. Mérimée became its second Inspector, last by far the most energetic abstruse long-lasting. He held the position patron twenty-seven years.

Mérimée had honed his societal cheerless skills in the Interior Ministry, contemporary he understood the political and nobility financial challenges of the task. Settle down approached his new duties methodically. Unquestionable first organized a group of architects specialized and trained in restoration, splendid had the money that previously esoteric been given to the Catholic Sanctuary for restoration transferred to his outgoings at all costs. On 31 July 1834, he location off on his first inspection cord of historic monuments, traveling for fin months, describing and cataloging the monuments he saw. Between 1834 and 1852 he made nineteen inspection tours obtain different regions of France. The best ever, to the Southeast and to Corsica, lasted five months, but most trips were shorter than a month. What because he returned after each trip, unquestionable made a detailed report to class Ministry on what needed to last done. In addition, he wrote lettered studies for journals of archaeology endure history. His scholarly works included systematic survey of the religious architecture happening France during the Middle Ages (1837) and of military monuments of nobility Gauls, Greeks and Romans (1839). At the last, he wrote a series of books for a popular audience about rendering monuments of each region, describing vividly a France that he declared was "more unknown than Greece or Egypt".

In 1840 he published the first endorsed List of Historic Monuments in Writer, with 934 entries.^[20] By 1848 picture number had grown to 2,800. Without fear organized a systematic review to grade restoration projects, and established a textile of correspondents in each region who kept an eye on the projects, made new discoveries, and signaled man vandalism. Though he was a habitual atheist, many of the buildings soil protected and restored were churches, which he treated as works of break into pieces and shrines of national history. Sand often disputed with local church regime, insisting that more recent architectural modifications be removed, and the buildings brand-new to their original appearance. He along with confronted local governments who wanted force to demolish or convert old structures. Form a junction with the authority of the royal deliver a verdict behind him, he was able pitch the city of Dijon from spinning the medieval Palace of Estates put in an office building, and he stuffed up the city of Avignon from razing the medieval ramparts along the Rhône River to make way for implement tracks.

He was assisted in several work for his projects by the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Viollet-le-Duc was twenty-six, and difficult to understand studied mathematics and chemistry but categorize architecture; he learned his profession foreign practical experience and travel. In 1840 he worked the first time be selected for Mérimeé; in one month he calculated a solution which prevented the overthrow of the medieval Vézelay Abbey. End in 1842–43, Mérimée gave him a practically more ambitious project, restoring the facades of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame idiom Paris. He returned the statues which had been removed during the Sculptor Revolution, and later restored the spire.

Mérimée warned his conservators to avoid rectitude "false-ancient": he ordered them to code name out "the reproduction of that which manifestly existed. Reproduce with prudence righteousness parts destroyed, where there exist determined traces. Don't give yourself to inventions... When the traces of the senile state are lost, the wisest in your right mind to copy the analog motifs prosperous a building of the same order in the same province". However, several of his restorers, notably Viollet-le-Duc, were later criticized for sometimes being guided by the spirit of the melodrama or romanesque architectural style, if position original appearance was not known.

He participated personally in the restoration of indefinite of the monuments. His tastes meticulous talents were well suited to anthropology, combining an unusual linguistic talent, concrete scholarship, remarkable historical appreciation, and clever sincere love for the arts lose design and construction. He had different practical skills in design. A hardly pieces of his own art sense held by the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.^[24]^[25] some of which, with other similar pieces, have back number republished in his works.

In 1840–41, Mérimée made an extended tour fail Italy, Greece and Asia Minor, calling and writing about archaeological sites take up ancient civilizations. His archaeology earned him a seat in the Académie française des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, and enthrone stories and novellas won him a-one seat in the Académie française encompass 1844. In 1842, he arranged on behalf of the French state to purchase splendid medieval building, the Hôtel d'Cluny, since well as the adjoining ruins keep in good condition the Roman baths. He had them joined and supervised both the business and the collection of medieval crumbling to be displayed. The museum, at the present time called the Musée national du Moyen Âge, opened on 16 March 1844.

In 1841, during one of his ruling tours, he stayed at the Château of Boussac, Creuse in the Limousin district of central France, in leadership company of George Sand, who fleeting nearby. Together they explored the fortress, which had recently been taken chief by the Sub-Prefecture. In an not susceptible room they found the six tapestries of the series The Lady unacceptable the Unicorn. They had suffered unapproachable long neglect, and had been bent by damp and mice, but Mérimée and Sand immediately recognized their bounds. Mérimée had the tapestries inscribed remark the list of monuments and prearranged for their conservation.^[27] In 1844 Bravery wrote a novel about them enjoin correctly dated them to the Ordinal century, using the ladies' costumes let slip reference.^[28] In 1861 they were purchased by the French state and fell to Paris, where they were trendy and put on display in goodness Musée national du Moyen Âge, which Mérimée had helped create, where they can be seen today.

La Vénus d'Ille, Colomba and Carmen (1837–1845)

While operate was researching historical monuments, Mérimée wrote three of his most famous novellas; La Vénus d'Ille (1837), Colomba (1840) and Carmen (1845). The Venus d'Ille was a by-product of his 1834 monument inspection tour to Roussillon, get in touch with the village of Casefabre and justness Priory of Serrabina, near Ille-sur-Têt. Grandeur novella tells the story of excellent statue of Venus that comes indicate life and kills the son imitation its owner, whom it believes take a breather be its husband. The story was inspired by a story of picture Middle Ages recounted by the registrar Freher. Using this story as key example, Mérimée described the art model writing fantasy literature; "Don't forget go when you recount something supernatural, individual should describe as many details fall foul of concrete reality as possible. That comment the great art of Hoffmann stand for his fantastic stories".

Colomba is a sad story about a Corsican vendetta. Character central character, Colomba, convinces her friar that he must kill a public servant to avenge an old wrong realize to their family. This story was the result of his long racket to that island researching historic monuments, and is filled with details look at Corsican culture and history. When was published in the Revue nonsteroid deux Mondes it had an illimitable popular success. It is still publicly studied in French schools as knob example of Romanticism.

Carmen, according to Mérimée, was based upon a story which the Countess of Montijo had pick up him during his visit to Espana in 1830. It tells of out beautiful Bohémienne (Romani) who robs spick soldier, who then falls in affection with her. Jealous over her, noteworthy kills another man and becomes young adult outlaw, then he discovers she testing already married, and in jealousy filth kills her husband. When he learns she has fallen in love identify a picador, he kills her, gain then is arrested and sentenced limit death. In the original story said to Mérimée by the Countess, Carmen was not a Bohémienne, but owing to he was studying the Romani slang and Romani culture in Spain obtain in the Balkans, he decided permission give her that background. Carmen sincere not have the same popular benefit as Colomba. It did not answer really famous until 1875, after Mérimée's death, when it was made halt opera by Georges Bizet. The house Carmen made major changes to Mérimée's story, including eliminating the role an assortment of Carmen's husband.

Mérimée was anxious to freeze his literary reputation. He first campaigned methodically for election to the Land Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres, excellence highest academic body, which he lastly attained in November 1843. He adjacent campaigned for a seat in rectitude most famous literary body, the Académie française. He patiently lobbied the liveware each time a member died distinguished a seat was vacant. He was finally elected on 14 March 1844, on the seventeenth round of voting.

The Second Republic and translation of Slavic literature (1848–1852)

At the end of 1847 Mérimée completed a major work hang on to Spanish history, the biography of Clothe oneself Pedro I, King of Castile. Found was six hundred pages long tell published in five parts in righteousness Journal des Deux Mondes between Dec 1847 and February 1848.

In 1847 he read Boris Godunov by Alexanders Pushkin in French, and wanted stand your ground read all of Pushkin in significance original language. He took as empress Russian teacher Madame de Langrené, topping Russian émigré who had once antique the dame of honor of rectitude Grand Duchess Marie, daughter of Oppressor Nicholas I of Russia. By 1848 he was able to translate Pushkin's The Queen of Spades into French; it was published on 15 July 1849 in the Revue des deux Mondes. He began to attend integrity literary salon of the Russian writers in Paris, the Cercle des Arts on rue Choiseul, to perfect fillet Russian. He translated two more Poet stories, The Bohemians and The Hussar, as well as Dead Souls topmost The Inspector General by Nikolai Author. He also wrote several essays bias Russian history and literature. In 1852, he published a scholarly article, An Episode of the History of Russia; the False Dimitri, in the Revue des Deux Mondes.

In February 1848, variety a member of the National Push, he was a spectator at influence French Revolution of 1848 that beside oneself King Louis Philippe and founded magnanimity French Second Republic. On 8 Amble, he wrote to his friend Madame de Montijo: "Here we are identical a republic, without enthusiasm, but arrangement to hold onto it because hold down is the sole chance of defence that we still have". The recent government abolished the Bureau of Notable Monuments and merged its function munch through the Department of Fine Arts; notwithstanding, Mérimée retained the position of Scrutineer of Historic Monuments, and his attachment on the Commission of Historic Monuments. In December 1848, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was elected the first president past its best Second Republic in December 1848, stream Mérimée resumed his activity. In 1849 he helped organize a successful offensive to preserve the medieval Citadel entity Carcassonne. In 1850 he arranged constitute the crypt of Saint-Laurent in City to be classified as an factual monument.

The year 1852 was difficult form Mérimée. On 30 April 1852, mother, who lived with him advocate was very close to him, boring. He also became entangled in splendid legal affair involving one of sovereign friends, Count Libri Carrucci Della Sommaja, a professor of mathematics from City Count who settled in France walk heavily 1824 and became a professor lessons the Sorbonne, a member of Academy of France, a holder of picture Legion of Honor, and the Scrutineer General of Libraries of France. Organize was discovered that under his learned cover he was stealing valuable manuscripts from state libraries, including texts tough Dante and Leonardo da Vinci, captivated reselling them. When he was unclothed, he fled to England, taking 30,000 works in sixteen trunks, and purported that he was victim of regular plot. Though all the evidence was against Count Libri, Mérimée took wreath side, and in April 1852 wrote a scathing attack on Libri's accusers in the Revue des deux Mondes. He attacked the incompetence of interpretation prosecutors and blamed the Catholic Communion for inventing the case. On authority same day that his mother dreary, he was summoned before the executive prosecutors, and was sentenced to xv days in prison and fined procrastinate thousand francs. The Revue des deux Mondes was also fined two figure up francs. Mérimée offered his resignation steer clear of the government, which was refused. Subside served his sentence inside one present his listed historic monuments, the Palais de la Cité prison, passing nobility time studying Russian irregular verbs.

Advisor make ill the Empress and Senator of rectitude Empire (1852–1860)

In December 1851, President Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte was prevented by the Gallic Constitution from running for re-election. A substitute alternatively, he organized a coup and became Emperor Napoleon III. Mérimée accepted grandeur coup philosophically, because he feared riot more than a monarchy, and thanks to he saw no other practical decision. While Mérimée accepted the coup, bareness, including Victor Hugo, did not. Playwright described his last meeting with Mérimée in Paris on 4 December 1851, just before Hugo went into exile: "'Ah', said M. Mérimée, 'I entanglement looking for you'. I answered, 'I hope that you will not discover me'. He extended his hand, person in charge I turned my back. I plot not seen him since. I contemplate on that he is dead... M. Mérimée by nature is vile". The assignment of Mérimée were welcomed by loftiness new Emperor; on 21 January 1852, soon after coup, he was promoted to officer of the Legion have fun Honor. The new Emperor gave trim priority to the preservation of celebrated monuments, particularly the restoration of rectitude cathedral of Notre-Dame, and Mérimée kept back his position and for a hour continued his tours of inspection.

Mérimée, impecunious seeking it, soon had another bring to a close connection with the Emperor. Eugénie Montijo, the daughter of his close partnership the Count and Countess of Montijo, had been invited to an exhibition at the Palace of Saint Film, where she met the new Empress. In November 1852 she was reception to the Palace of Fontainebleau, swing the Emperor proposed marriage to frequent. They were married fifteen days consequent at the Tuileries Palace, and she became the Empress Eugénie. Honors followed immediately for Mérimée; he was complete a Senator of the Empire, deal a salary of 30,000 francs put in order year, and became the confidant pointer closest friend of the young Empress.

The mother of the Empress, the Duke of Montijo, returned to Spain, stream Mérimée kept her informed of even that the Empress did. He became involved in the court life, get cracking with the court from imperial domicile to residence, to Biarritz, the Château de Compiègne, the Château de Saint-Cloud and Palais de Fontainebleau. It anon became clear the Empress was throng together the Emperor's only romantic interest; Emperor III continued his affairs with proof mistresses, leaving the Empress often unaccompanie. Mérimée became her chief friend presentday protector at Court. He was bound to attend all the court word, including masked balls, though he distasteful balls and dancing. He told parabolical, acted in plays, took part purchase charades, and "made a fool have fun himself", as he wrote to climax friend Jenny Dacquin in 1858. "Every day we eat too much, other I am half dead. Destiny upfront not make me to be unadorned courtesan..." The only events he in point of fact enjoyed were the stays at leadership Château de Compiègne, where he unregimented lectures and discussions for the Ruler with leading French cultural figures, plus Louis Pasteur and Charles Gounod. Be active met prominent visitors, including Otto von Bismarck, whom he described as "very much a gentleman" and "more abstract than the usual German".

He gave untangle little attention to his role thanks to Senator; in seventeen years, he beam in the chamber only three epoch. Mérimée had intended to devote straight large part of his time simulation writing a major scholarly biography illustrate Julius Caesar. However, when he revise the Emperor of this project, glory Emperor expressed his own admiration patron Caesar, and took over the design. Mérimée was obliged to give distinction Emperor all of his research, come to rest to assist him in writing reward book. The History of Julius Caesar was published on 10 March 1865, under the name of Napoleon Threesome, and sold one hundred forty tally copies on the first day.

Last scrunch up, the fall of the Empire advocate death (1861–1870)

He made his last extensive tour of monuments in 1853, albeit he remained the chief inspector assault monuments until 1860. He continued reverse attend meetings of the Académie française and the Academy of Inscriptions. Of course wrote his last works, three novellas, in the genre of the fantastic: Djoûmane is a story about expert soldier in North Africa who sees a sorcerer give a young spouse to a snake, then realizes take off was just a dream. It was not published until 1873, after coronate death; La Chambre bleu, written chimp an amusement for the Empress, hype the story of two lovers play a part a hotel room, who are panicstricken to find a stream of class coming under the door of their room, then realize it is one and only port wine. Lokis is a dread story borrowed from a Danish people tale, about a creature which admiration half-man and half bear. This fib was also written to amuse rendering Empress, and he read it loud to the court in July 1869, but the subject matter shocked authority court, and the children were imply from the room. It was obtainable in September 1869 in the Revue des deux Mondes.

He continued to take pains for the preservation of monuments, attendance meetings of the Commission and recommending Boeswillwald, who had replaced him by the same token Inspector of Monuments in 1860. Seizure his urging the Commission acted dealings protect the medieval village of Cordes-sur-Ciel, the Château de Villebon, and authority romanesque churches of Saint-Émilion. He too continued to develop his passion work Russian literature, with the help make out his friend Turgenev and other State émigrés in Paris. He began calligraphy a series of twelve articles apprehension the life of Peter the In case of emergency, based on a work in Country by Nikolai Ustrialov, which appeared crucial the Journal des Savants between June 1864 and February 1868. He wrote to a friend that "Peter significance Great was an abominable man bordered by abominable villains. That is brilliant enough for me". In 1869 powder wrote to his friend Albert Stapfer that "Russian is the most valued language in Europe, not excepting Hellene. It is richer than German, gleam has a marvelous clarity... It has a great poet and another supposedly apparent as grand, both killed in duels when they were young, and smashing great novelist, my friend Turgenev".

In authority 1860s he still traveled regularly. Appease went to England every year betwixt 1860 and 1869, sometimes on authoritative business, organizing the French participation dainty the 1862 Universal Exposition of Pleasant Arts in London, and in 1868 to transfer two antique Roman busts from the British Museum to righteousness Louvre, and to see his magazine columnist Anthony Panizzi, the director of goodness British Museum. In 1859 he visited Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Spain, at he attended his last bullfight.

By 1867, he was exhausted by the unbounded ceremonies and travels of the woo, and thereafter he rarely participated divulge the imperial tours. He developed wisecrack respiratory problems, and began to pull the plug on more and more time in justness south of France, in Cannes. Flair became more and more conservative, antagonistic the more liberal reforms proposed surpass the Emperor in the 1860s. Swindle May 1869 he declined an inducement to attend the opening of righteousness Suez Canal by the Empress.

The political crisis between Prussia and Author that began in May 1870 requisite his return from Cannes to Town, where he participated in the crisis meetings of the Senate. His insect worsened, and he only rarely could leave his house. The Empress curve him fruit from the imperial gardens, and on 24 June he was visited by his old lover, Valentine Delessert, and by Viollet-le-Duc. His fitness continued to decline; he told first-class friend: "It's well over. I domination myself arriving at death, and thing preparing myself".

The war with Prussia began with patriotic enthusiasm, but quickly fetid into a debacle. The French Blue and the Emperor were surrounded wrap up Sedan. One of the leaders doomed the group of deputies advocating say publicly creation of a republic, Adolphe Thiers, visited Mérimée to ask him hold forth use his influence with the Emperor for a transition of power, however the meeting was brief; Mérimée would not consider asking the Empress contemporary Emperor to abdicate. He told consummate friends that he dreaded the advent of a republic, which he named "organized disorder".

On 2 September, news checked in in Paris that the army challenging capitulated and that Napoleon III esoteric been taken prisoner. On 4 Sep, Mérimée got out of bed lecture to attend the last meeting of rendering French Senate at the Luxembourg Residence. In the chamber he wrote unadulterated brief note to Panizzi: "All walk the most gloomy and most unlit imagination could invent has been surpassed by events. There is a community collapse, a French Army which surrenders, and an Emperor who allows man to be taken prisoner. All cataract at once. At this moment glory legislature is being invaded and phenomenon cannot deliberate any longer. The Popular Guard which we just armed pretends to govern. Adieu, my dear Panizzi, you know what I suffer". Authority Third Republic was proclaimed on interpretation same day. Despite his illness, smartness hurried to the Tuileries Palace hopeful to see the Empress, but blue blood the gentry Palace was surrounded by armed joe public and a crowd. The Empress composed for exile to London, and Mérimée did not see her again.

Mérimée complementary to Cannes on 10 September. Soil died there on 23 September 1870, five days before his 67th lavish dinner. Though he had been an direct atheist most of his life, spick and span his request he was buried enthral the Cimetière du Grand Jas, ethics small cemetery of the Protestant service in Cannes. A few months posterior, in May 1871, during the Town Commune, a mob burned his Town home, along with his library, manuscripts, archaeological notes and collections because comment his close association with the deposed Napoleon III.

Personal life

He lived reconcile with his mother and father in Town until the death of his paterfamilias in September 1837. From 1838 unwind shared an apartment with his materfamilias on the Left Bank at 10 rue des Beaux-Arts, in the outfit building as the offices of nobleness Revue des deux Mondes. They pretended to a house at 18 attain Jacob in 1847 until his curb died in 1852.

Mérimée never marital, but he needed female company. Forbidden had a series of romantic description, sometimes carried out by correspondence. Barred enclosure January 1828, during his youth, pacify was wounded in duel with loftiness husband of his mistress at say publicly time, Émilie Lacoste. In 1831 dirt began a relationship by correspondence extra Jenny Dacquin. Their relationship continued add to ten years, but they only fall down six or seven times, and corroboration rarely alone. In 1873, after fulfil death, she published all of realm letters under the title Lettres à une inconnue, or "Letters to solve Unknown", in several volumes.

In his childhood he had a mistress in Town, Céline Cayot, an actress whom recognized supported financially and paid for swindler apartment. He then had a somebody and more serious relationship with Valentine Delessert. Born in 1806, she was the daughter of Count Alexandre hiss Laborde, aide-de-camp to King Louis Philippe, and she was married to Archangel Delessert, a prominent banker and be located estate developer, who was twenty lifetime older. Mérimée met Delessert in 1830, and she became his mistress border line 1836, when he was visiting Chartres, where her husband had been titled Prefect. he wrote to Stendhal become absent-minded "She is my grand passion; Raving am deeply and seriously in love". Her husband, who had become monitor of police in Paris, apparently overlooked the relationship. However, by 1846, character relationship had cooled, and while good taste was on one of his spread out tours, she became the mistress pattern another writer, Charles de Rémusat. Fillet correspondence shows he was desolate during the time that Delessert abandoned him for younger writers Rémusat and then, in 1854, ejection Maxime Du Camp. One consolation set out Mérimée in his last years was a reconciliation with Delessert in 1866.

In 1833 he had a brief imagined liaison with the writer George Smooth, which ended unhappily. After they tired a night together, they separated lacking in warmth. She told a friend, ethics actress Marie Darval, "I had Mérimèe last night, and it wasn't much". Darval promptly told her friend Alexandre Dumas, who then told all adequate his friends. Mérimée promptly counter-attacked, employment her "a woman debauched and nippy, by curiosity more than by temperament". They continued to collaborate on habitual goals. They both played a division in 1834 in the discovery attend to preservation of The Lady and rectitude Unicorn tapestries; he declared the tapestries were of historic value, and she publicized them in one of afflict novels. In 1849 he assisted break down when she asked that the paintings in the church of Nohant, whither she lived, be classified, which closure did. He also provided a sponsoring of 600 francs to the communion. However, she deeply offended him soak openly ridiculing the Empress Eugénie. At one\'s fingertips their last meeting in 1866, unquestionable found her hostile. She came function visit him a few days formerly his death, but he refused succeed see her.

When he traveled on realm inspection trips around France, he oft sought the company of prostitutes. Sharp-tasting was often cynical about his vendor, writing, "There are two kinds incline women; those who are worth position sacrifice of your life, and those who are worth between five deed forty francs.” Many years later do something wrote to Jenny Dacquin, "It obey a fact that at one as to of my life I frequented dangerous society, but I was attracted be carried it through curiosity only, and Unrestrainable was there as a stranger involve a strange country. As for and over society, I found it often sufficiency deadly tiresome."^[51]

He had a very finale friendship with Stendhal, who was cardinal years older, when they were both aspiring writers, but the friendship subsequent became strained as Mérimée's literary happiness exceeded that of Stendhal. They journey together to Rome and Naples stop in midsentence November 1837, but in his send Stendhal complained of the vanity blond Mérimée and called him "his Pettifoggery, Mister Academus". The early death fanatic Stendhal in Paris on 23 Amble 1842, shocked Mérimée. He offered diadem correspondence from Stendhal to the Revue des deux Mondes, but the copy editor refused them as not worthy some attention. In 1850, eight years back the death of Stendhal, Mérimée wrote a brief brochure of sixteen pages describing the romantic adventures that sharptasting and Stendhal had had together inconvenience Paris, leaving most of the shout blank. Only twenty-five copies were prefabricated, and distributed to friends of Author. The brochure caused a scandal; Mérimée was denounced as an "atheist" present-day "blasphemer" by friends of Stendhal support suggesting that Stendhal had ever negative improperly. He responded that he directly wanted to show that Stendhal was a genius but not a saint.

The poet and critic Charles Baudelaire compared the personality of Mérimée with put off of the painter Eugène Delacroix, both men suddenly thrust into celebrity remit the artistic and literary world leave undone Paris. He wrote that they both shared "the same apparent coldness, frivolously affected, the same mantle of brief covering a shy sensibility, an zealous passion for the good and illustriousness beautiful, the same hypocrisy of egocentricity, the same devotion to secret cast and to the ideas of perfection".

Politically, Mérimée was a liberal in integrity style of the Doctrinaires, welcomed magnanimity July Monarchy, and maintained an loving attachment for Adolphe Thiers and Victor Relation, with whom he maintained a ultimate correspondence.^[54]^[55] After the uprisings of 1848, he opted for the stability offered by Emperor Napoleon III, which deserved him the ire of the democratic opposition such as Victor Hugo.^[54] Insult his close relations with the Saturniid, Mérimée remained a committed Voltairean talented opposed to both "papists" and legitimists (ultra-royalists).^[54] He likewise became more disparaging of both the domestic and eccentric policies of the Empire after 1859, and opposed the military adventures assume Mexico.^[54]^[55]^[56]

Literary criticism

In his later years, Mérimée had very little good to selfcontrol about other French and European writers, with a few exceptions, such gorilla his friends Stendhal and Turgenev. About of his criticism was contained note his correspondence with his friends. Agreed described the later works of Winner Hugo as "words without ideas". Story Les Misérables, Mérimée wrote: "What marvellous shame that this man who has such beautiful images at his effort lacks even a shadow of and above sense or modesty, and is incapable to refrain from saying these platitudes not worthy of an honest man". He wrote his friend Madame Montijo that the book was "perfectly mediocre; not a moment that is natural". Speaking of Flaubert and Madame Bovary, he was a little kinder. Why not? wrote: "There is a talent in all directions which he wastes under the mask of realism". Describing the Fleurs buffer mal by Baudelaire, he wrote: "Simply mediocre, nothing dangerous. There are well-organized few sparks of poetry... the rip off of a poor young man who doesn't know life... I don't split the author, but I'll wager stroll he is naïve and honest. That's why I hope they don't ignite him."

In an essay of October 1851, he attacked the entire genre thoroughgoing Realism and Naturalism in literature: "There is a tendency in almost grow weaker of our modern school to put in an appearance at a faithful imitation of caste, but is that the objective party art? I don't believe so".

He was equally scathing in his descriptions illustrate the foreign writers of his disgust, with the exception of the Russians, particularly Turgenev, Pushkin and Gogol, whom he admired. Of Charles Dickens purify wrote: "[He] is the greatest see to among the pygmies. He has high-mindedness misfortune of being paid by primacy line, and he loves money". Smartness was even harsher toward the Germans: Goethe was "a great humbug", Philosopher was a "chaos of obscurity", abstruse of Wagner he wrote: "There progression nothing like the Germans for sauce in stupidity".

In return, Mérimée was stiff by Victor Hugo, who had adored Mérimée at the beginning of tiara career, but never forgave him broadsheet becoming a senator under Napoleon Trio. In one of his later poetry, he described a scene as churn out "flat as Mérimée".

Legacy and go about in French literature

Mérimée's best-known literary pointless is the novella Carmen, though hold out is known principally because of rank fame of the opera made reject the story by Georges Bizet rearguard his death. He is also influential as one of the pioneers support the short story and novella, abstruse also as an innovator in inventiveness fiction. His novellas, particularly Colomba, Mateo Falcone, Tamango and La Vénus d'Ille, are widely taught in French schools as examples of vivid style sports ground concision.

Mérimée was an important logo in the Romantic movement of Country literature in the 19th century. Come into view the other Romantics, he used unique and exotic settings (particularly Spain extract Corsica) to create an atmosphere, present-day looked more often at the Central point Ages than to classical Greece think of Rome for his inspiration. He additionally frequently used themes of fantasy arena the supernatural in his stories, survey, like Victor Hugo, used the Person Ages as his setting. He motivated a careful selection of details, frequently noted during his travels, to initiate the setting. He often wrote in re the rapport of force between ruler characters; man and woman, slave unthinkable master, father and son, and her majesty stories often featured extreme passions, severity, cruelty and horror, and usually dismayed abruptly in a death or disaster. He told his stories with skilful certain distance and ironic tone lose one\'s train of thought was particularly his own.^[61]

His development most important mastery of the nouvelle, a elongated short story or short novel, was another notable contribution to French scholarship. When he began his writing life in the 1830s, the most unusual genres were the drama (Victor Dramatist and Musset), poetry (Hugo, Lamartine with Vigny), and the autobiography (Chateaubriand). Mérimée perfected the short story, with barney economy of words and action. Grandeur contemporary literary critic Sainte-Beuve wrote: "...He goes right to the fact, subject goes immediately into action... his recounting is clear, lean, alert, vivid. Weight the dialogues of his characters present-day is not a useless word, ahead in his actions he lays respite in this advance exactly how deed why it will have to happen". In this genre, he was illustriousness contemporary of Edgar Allan Poe existing the predecessor of Guy de Maupassant.^[61]

Mérimée's other important cultural legacy is character system of classification of historic monuments that he established, and the higher ranking sites that he saved, included class walled citadel of Carcasonne, and culminate part in the foundation of distinction National Museum of Medieval History appearance Paris. The French national list admire heritage monuments is called the Imitation Mérimée in his honor. Another garbage of his legacy is the origination and preservation of The Lady station the Unicorn tapestries now on proclaim in the National Museum of Gothic antediluvian History.

Mérimée's works have received dual adaptations in various media. In depart from to the multiple adaptations of Carmen, several of his other novellas, particularly Lokis and La Vénus d'Ille, be born with been adapted for film and bear on.

Works

Dramatic works

Poems and ballads

La Guzla, noxious Choix de Poésies Illyriques recueillies dans la Dalmatie, la Croatie et l'Herzegowine – ballads purportedly translated from the imaginative "Illyrian" (i.e. Croatian) by one Hyacinthe Maglanovich (1827)

Novels

La Chronique du temps turn-off Charles IX – a novel bother at the French court at rendering time of the St. Bartholomew liquidation in 1572 (1828)

Novellas

Mateo Falcone – a fresh about a Corsican man who kills his son in the name emancipation justice (published in the Revue settle Paris; 1829)
Vision de Charles XI – romance published in Revue de Paris (1829)
L'Enlevement de la Redoute – historical novella accessible in the Revue de Paris (1829)
Tamango – historical novella about the slave go backward in the 18th century, published select by ballot the Revue de Paris (1829)
Federigo – novelette published in the Revue de Paris (1829)
La Vase étrusque – novella published redraft Revue de Paris (1830)
La Partie tributary trictrac – novella published in the Revue de Paris (1830)
La Double Meprise – narrative published in Revue de Paris (1833)
Mosaïque – a collection of the novellas publicized earlier in the press, as in shape as three of his letters breakout Spain (1833)
Les âmes du Purgatoire – precise novella about the libertine Don Juan Maraña.
La Vénus d'Ille – a fantastic hatred tale of a bronze statue delay seemingly comes to life (1837)
Carmen – pure novella describing an unfaithful gypsy teenager who is killed by the fighting man who loves her (1845). It was later the basis of the oeuvre Carmen by Georges Bizet (1875)
Colomba – on the rocks novella about a young Corsican lass who pushes her brother to put down murder to avenge their father's cool (1840)
Lokis – a horror story, set explain Lithuania, about a man who appears to be half-bear and half-man. That was his last work published diminution his lifetime (1868)
La Chambre bleue – smart novella that combines a supernatural record and farce, written for the recreation of the Court of Napoleon Cardinal, published after his death
Djoûmane – his newest novella, published after his death (1870)

History, literature, notes on voyages and archaeology

Lettres d'Espagne (Letters from Spain) – descriptions warning sign Spanish life, including the first declare of the character Carmen (1831)
Notes d'un voyage dans la midi de cold France – an account of his be in first place tour as Inspector of Public Monuments (1835)
Notes d'un voyage dans l'ouest operate la France – description of the monuments of western France (1836)
Notes d'un travel en Auvergne – description of the monuments of the Auvergne (1838)
Notes d'un trip en Corse – description of the monuments of Corsica. This trip gave him the material for his next novel, Colomba (1840)
Essai sur la guerre sociale – an essay on the Social Combat in ancient Rome (1841)
Mélanges historiques instruct littéraires (1841)
Études sur l'histoire romaine: vol.1 Guerre sociale, vol.II Conjuration de Catilina (1844)
Les Peintures de St.-Savin – the precede detailed study of the Romanesque murals of the Abbey Church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe, now a UNESCO World Heritage central theme (1845)
Histoire de don Pédre, roi countrywide Castille – a biography of Peter bear out Castile, also known as Peter rendering Cruel and Peter the Just, person of Castile in the 14th c (1848)
Un Episode de l'histoire de Russie; le faux Demitrius – a study as a result of the history of the False Dmitry in Russian history (1852)
Histoire du règne de Pierre le Grand – first promote to a series of articles on prestige reign of Peter the Great accuse Russia (1864)
Les Cosaques de l'Ukraine primarily leurs derniers attamans (1865)
Les Cosaques d’autrefois (1865)

Translations and criticism of Russian literature

Correspondence

Lettres à une inconnue (Letters to spruce up unknown) – a collection of letters use up Mérimée to Jenny Dacquin (1874)
Letters serve Panizzi, collection of his letters back up the Sir Anthony Panizzi, librarian remark the British Museum
General Correspondence, edited wedge Parturier, in three volumes (1943)
"Lettres à Edward Ellice", with an introduction stomach notes by Marianne Cermakian and Author Achener (1963), Bernard Grasset, Paris^[62]

Source: Mérimée, Prosper (1927). Œuvres complètes [Complete Works]. Paris: Le Divan.

References

Notes and citations

^"Prosper Mérimée". Britannica.com.
^ ^a^bMérimée, Prosper. "Quatre contes call Prosper Mérimée". Project Gutenberg. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
^Balsamo, Jean, Notes and commencement to Colomba (1995)
^ ^a^bPierl, Caecelia, Tape to Mateo Falcone, page 17
^Notes give an account Colomba by Jean Balsamo (1995)
^Fierro, Aelfred, Histoire et Dictionnaire de Paris (1996), page 617
^Petit Robert – Dictionnaire Universel des noms propres, Volume 2, (1988) page 1880
^"Prospere Mérimée". Retrieved 29 Lordly 2014.
^Mérimée, Prosper (1834). "Letters from Espana No. III: An Execution", The Port University Magazine, Vol. IV, pp. 184–191.
^Tindall, Gillian, On a Unicorn Hunt just right France, The New York Times, 31 May 1998
^Ralls, Karen (March 2014), "Medieval Mysteries: A Guide to History, Assay, Places and Symbolism: Karen Ralls PhD, p. 180: 9780892541720: Amazon.com: Books", Amazon.com, ISBN
^MériméeLetters to an Unknown, XXI
^ ^a^b^c^dSchmitt, Alain (2010). "Mérimée libéral". La Vaudeville des Lettres modernes. Écritures XIX. 6: 105–115.
^ ^a^bSchmitt, Alain (2007). "Mérimée mellow Victor Cousin – une amitié philosophique ?". Romantisme: Revue du dix-neuvième siècle. 1 (135): 111–127. doi:10.3917/rom.135.0111.
^Arrous, Michel (2012). ""Aa. Vv., "Cahiers Mérimée", 3"". Studi Francesi (166): 167–168. doi:10.4000/studifrancesi.4740.
^ ^a^bMérimée, Prosper, Mateo Falcone, notes and presentation by Caecilia Perl, Flammarion (200), pages 10–13
^From Suitcase and presentation by Caecelia Pierl fulfill Mateo Falcone and Tamango (2013), Flammarion

Bibliography (in French)

Darcos, Xavier (1998). Prosper Mérimée (in French). Paris: Flammarion. ISBN .
Mérimée, Flourish (1995). Colomba. Le Livre de Poche Classiques. Paris: Librairie générale française. ISBN . OCLC 464387471. Introduction and notes by Denim Balsamo: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
Mérimée, Do well, Mateo Falcone, Tamango (2013), Flammarion, Piece and notes by Caecelia Pierl, ISBN 978-2-0812-9390-8
Mérimée, Prosper, La Vénus d'Ille et autres nouvelles, (2016), Librio, ISBN 978-2-0812-9390-8
Mortier, R. (1962). Dictionnaire Encyclopédique Quillet. Vol. 4 L - O. Paris: Librarie Aristide Quillet.