Victor Hugo 1870

English: French writer Victor Hugo (1802-1885) photographed by Bertall (1820-1882)
Deutsch: französischer Schriftsteller Victor Hugo... more

by Betall - Linda Howes Website

Title

Victor Hugo 1870

Artist

Betall - Linda Howes Website

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

English: French writer Victor Hugo (1802-1885) photographed by Bertall (1820-1882)
Deutsch: französischer Schriftsteller Victor Hugo (1802-1885) fotografiert von BertallFrançais : homme de lettres français Victor Hugo (1802-1885) photographed by Betall

Victor-Marie Hugo was born on February 26, 1802, in Besançon, France.
His father, Joseph-Leopold Hugo, was a general in Napoleon's army who
served as Military Governor in Italy and Spain. His mother, Sophie
Trebuchet, had an affair with his father's commander, who was shot in
1812 for plotting against Napoleon. At that time young Victor studied
at College Louis-le-Grand. In 1819 he founded a review, the
"Conservateur Litteraire". In 1822 he published his first collection of
poems, "Odes et Poesies Diverses". It gained him a royal pension from
King Louis XVIII.

He shot to international fame as a playwright with his play "Hernani"
(1830). It played to full houses in many countries and had a lasting
impact on 19th-century theatre. It also was made into an eponymous
opera by Giuseppe Verdi. Hugo's play, "Le roi s'amuse" (1832),
became another Verdi opera, "Rigoletto", which has been a staple of
many theaters ever since. Hugo's next big theatrical hit was "Lucrezia
Borgia" (1833), starring Juliette Drouet, who was a former mistress
of Napoleon. In 1834 "Lucrezia Borgia" was transformed into a
libretto for the eponymous opera by Gaetano Donizetti.

Drouet became Hugo's life-long mistress and muse. She inspired him to
write several volumes of lyrical poetry dedicated to her. She was loyal
to Hugo and their relationship lasted for 50 years, until her death in
1882. She was recognized even by Hugo's wife, and was accepted in the
family. At the same time Hugo had another affair with Léonie d'Aunet,
who was an inspiration for his collection of poetry of an intensely
sexual content. It was published as "Mme. Biard poems" in 1848. Hugo
remained being a ladies man throughout his life. In 1878 he suffered
from a mild stroke after having an exhaustive "game" with his maid.
After recovery Hugo continued his relationship with Juliett Drouet.

Hugo was an important political figure of his time. His political
career was based on his support of Republicanism as a democratic form
of government. In 1841 he was appointed Pair de France. He entered the
Higher Chamber, where he became a strong proponent of freedom of the
press. His position against the death penalty and social injustice
gained him tremendous popularity in all layers of society. In 1851,
when Napoleon III seized power, Hugo declared him a traitor to the
Republic of France. After that, Hugo's life was in grave danger. He
managed to escape to Brussels, then to the island of Guernsey, where he
would live with his family in exile for almost twenty years, until
1870. After the unpopular Napoleon III fell from power, Hugo returned
to the Third Republic, and was elected to the Senate.

He published over 50 novels and plays during his lifetime, followed by
20 more posthumous publications. Hugo's literary works had a profound
influence on such writers as
Albert Camus,
Fyodor Dostoevsky and
Charles Dickens, among many
others. "Les Misérables" (1862) became one of the most well-known
novels of the 19th century and remains influential in contemporary
culture. It became a popular Broadway musical, and was also adapted for
film and television more that 40 times in many countries, with the best
known film version being made in 1995
(Les Misérables (1995)) starring
Liam Neeson. The 1996 animated version of
his book "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"
(The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996))
was nominated for an Oscar.

Victor Hugo was among the most important cultural figures of his time.
He was also acknowledged for his political work in shaping democracy
and the Third Republic. He died on May 22, 1885, in Paris. His burial
ceremony was that of a statesman, and his funeral procession was
attended by an estimated one million people. He was laid to rest in the
Pantheon on Paris, France.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Steve Shelokhonov

Uploaded

March 24th, 2024