Decadent Tapestries

Gustave Geffroy (1855-1926), though he is primarily remembered today as an art critic and an early champion of the Impressionists, was also an extremely original writer of fiction, especially in the Decadent style. The current volume brings together sixteen of his highly refined stories, published from October 1892 to December 1900 in various Parisian newspapers, many having never before appeared in book form. These tales, ably translated into English by Shawn Garrett, which feature pimps and prowlers, obsessed artists, aesthetes and thieves, bizarre lovers and curious characters, might be seen as a series of brightly-woven tapestries of fin-de-siècle France, and, though often disturbing, also bring with them the power and charm of a great writer whose work certainly deserves to be better known.

 

About the Author: Gustave Geffroy (1855-1926) was a French man of letters primarily remembered today as an art critic and an early champion of the Impressionists, though he also wrote a significant amount of fiction. He contributed regularly to various newspapers, including "Gil Blas", "Le Journal", and "La Justice". In 1908 he became director of the Manufacture des Gobelins tapestry factory. Among his art related writing are Le Statuaire Rodin (1889) and Claude Monet (1920). His works of fiction include L'Apprentie (1904) and Hermine Gilquin (1907).