René Doumic

Born in Paris on March 7, 1860, René Doumic studied at the Lycée Condorcet and the École Normale before going on to teach rhetoric at the Collège Stanislas. He became known as a critic and man of letters with a strong presence in French literary life.

Doumic wrote for several major journals, including Journal des Débats and Revue des Deux Mondes, where he earned a reputation as an independent and demanding literary critic. He also published books on French literature and major authors, including studies of George Sand and broader histories of French letters.

His standing was recognized by the Académie française: he was elected in 1909, formally received in 1910, and later became its secrétaire perpétuel in 1923. He died in Paris on December 2, 1937.