François Coppée

Born in Paris on January 26, 1842, François Coppée was a French poet, novelist, and dramatist. He began publishing poetry in the 1860s, with works including Le Reliquaire, Les Intimités, and Les Humbles, the latter known for its sympathetic attention to working people and modest daily lives.

Coppée also achieved success in the theater, notably with Le Passant, first performed at the Odéon in 1869. He worked as an archivist at the Comédie-Française from 1878 to 1884 and was elected to the Académie française in 1884, succeeding Victor de Laprade.

His later work included poetry, prose, and drama, including Les Paroles sincères, Toute une jeunesse, and Pour la couronne. He died in Paris on May 23, 1908, leaving behind a body of work admired for its clarity, sentiment, and vivid interest in ordinary human experience.