Marie de Grandmaison

Writing under the name Marie de Grandmaison, Marie-Félicie Dufour was born in Bray-en-Thiérache, in the Aisne department of France, on October 5, 1846, and died in Garches on November 13, 1933. Library records identify Marie de Grandmaison as her pseudonym, and also note the name Marie Melchior.

She appears to have been a remarkably productive author. The Bibliothèque nationale de France lists well over a hundred works connected with her, including fiction for young readers, books about animals, instructional titles, and guides to manners and social conduct. Her books include stories for children as well as works such as Le Savoir-vivre et ses usages dans la société moderne and La Sortie de pension, which reflect the strong interest in education and propriety found in her writing.

Reliable biographical information about her is scarce, and even library researchers have noted how little is known about her personal life and career beyond the basic facts. What does come through clearly is the range of her output: patriotic, didactic, and often aimed at young readers or family audiences, her work offers a revealing glimpse of the values and reading culture of her time.