author
Fernand Desnoyers
1828–1869
A lively figure in 19th-century Parisian literary life, this French writer and critic moved easily between poetry, journalism, and art writing. His work captures the energy of bohemian Paris, from popular song to sharp-eyed commentary on the art world.
1 Audiobook
Le Salon des Refusés: Le Peinture en 1863
by Fernand Desnoyers
About the author
Born Fernand Félix-Émile-Arthur Desnoyers in Paris, he was a French man of letters best known as a writer, journalist, and literary critic. Reliable library and reference sources agree that he died in 1869, though some records list his birth year as 1826 while others give 1828.
Desnoyers was active in the artistic and literary circles of mid-19th-century Paris and is especially remembered for writing about painting as well as for his verse. His known works include Chansons parisiennes, the 1863 pamphlet Le Salon des Refusés, and Le bras noir, a pantomime associated with Gustave Courbet.
He also had close ties to the bohemian world around Henry Murger, which helps explain the vivid, street-level feel of his writing. Though he is less widely read today than some of his contemporaries, he remains an appealing figure for listeners interested in Parisian culture, literary journalism, and the artistic ferment of his era.