Arsène Houssaye

Arsène Houssaye ( born March 28, 1815 in Bruyeres, Vosges department, † February 26, 1896 in Paris) was a French journalist, writer and literary and art critic.

Houssaye came as a young man in Paris and was able to successfully debut at age 21 as a writer there. 1836 published his two novels " La couronne de bluets " and "La Pecheresse ". His friendship with the writers Jules Janin and Théophile Gautier soon gained him access to some literary salons and also his collaboration with Jules Sandeau had a positive impact. About Gautier he came in contact with the Parnassian.

Funded by the actress Elisa Rachel called you Houssaye with effect from November 1849 to the Managing Director (Administrator) of the theater Comédie Française. In this position he was held seven years Houssaye for the theater, artistically and economically achieve great success. 1856 he was appointed to the " Inspector General of the Museums of the province " and two years later he was appointed an Officer of the Legion of Honour.

In his capacity as an art critic wrote Houssaye between 1844/47 the work " Histoire de la peinture et flamande hollandaise ", which caused great controversy guided discussions. The climax of this conflict it accused Joseph Alfred Michiels reason of plagiarism and Houssaye answered this with the pamphlet "Un martyr littéraire ".

Houssaye led a large open house. His valuable decorated palace was open to every friend and his almost legendary hospitality culminating in masquerades, which Tout Paris was loaded and also came. During the Second Empire and even in the early days of the Republic now following Houssaye has held a privileged position in society; with relationships to family of the imperial family.

Four weeks before his 81st birthday Arsène Houssaye died on 26 February 1896 in Paris.

Works (selection)

• Les onze maitresses délaissées (1840 ),
• La vertu de Rosine (1844 ),
• Les trois soeurs (1847 ),
• Philosophes et comédiennes (1850),
• Les filles d'Eve (1852 )
• Le repentir de Marion (1854 ),
• Le violon de Franjolé (1856 ),
• Les revenants (1859 ), etc., as well as from recent times:
• La belle Raffaella (1874 ),
• Les mille et une nuits parisiennes (1875, 4 ​​vols ),
• Histoire d'une fille étrange du monde (1876 ),
• Alice (1877 )
• L' éventail brisé (1879, 2 vols ),
• Mademoiselle Rosa ( 1882),
• La comédienne (1884 ) and Others

• Les sentiers perdus (1841 )
• La poésie dans les bois (1845 ),
• Poèmes antiques (1855 ),
• La symphonie de vingt ans ( 1861).

• Les caprices de la marquise (1844 ),
• La comédie à la fenêtre (1852 ),
• Les comédiennes ( 1857).

• Gallery of portraits du XVIII. siècle " (1846 4 Tle );
• L' histoire du quarante et unième fauteuil de l' Académie française " (1855 a satire on the Academy );
• Les femmes comme elles sont (1857 );
• Le roi Voltaire ( 1858);
• Histoire de l'art français au XVIII. siècle (1860 );
• Les femmes du temps passé (1862 );
• Les Charmettes: Rousseau et Mme de Warens (1863 );
• Le palais de l' avenue Montaigne pompéien (1865 );
• Molière, sa femme et sa fille (1880 ).
• Les confessions d' A. H. Souvenirs d' un demi - siècle (1885, 4 ​​vols a biography).