Marcel Brion
Encyclopedia
Marcel Brion was a French essayist, literary critic, novelist, and historian.
with Marcel Pagnol
and Albert Cohen
. After completing his secondary education in Champittet, Switzerland, he studied law at the University of Aix-en-Provence
. Counsel to the bar of Marseille between 1920 and 1924, he abandoned his legal career to turn to literature.
Brion wrote nearly a hundred books in his career, ranging from historical biography to examinations of Italian and German art, and turning later in life to novels. His most famous collection of stories is the 1942 Les Escales de la Haute Nuit (The Shore Leaves Of The Deepest Night). An essay of Brion appears in Our Exagmination Round His Factification for Incamination of Work in Progress
, the important 1929 critical appreciation of James Joyce
's Finnegans Wake
.
He was a friend of the philosopher Xavier Tilliette
.
In 1964, Brion was elected to the French Academy chair 33, replacing his friend Jean-Louis Vaudoyer
. Other distinctions include membership in the Légion d'honneur
, the Croix de guerre 1914–1918
, a Grand Officer in the French Ordre national du Mérite
, and an Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
.
The 1982 television program The Romantic Spirit
, which aired in the U.S. on the A&E Network
from 1985-1991, credits Brion as having "devised" the series.
His son, Patrick Brion, critic and film historian, is the "voice" of Cinema midnight on France 3.
Biography
The son of a lawyer, Brion was classmates in ThiersThiers
Thiers is a French surname. Notable persons with the surname include:*Adolphe Thiers , French statesman and historian*Louisa Thiers , American supercentenarian*Harry D...
with Marcel Pagnol
Marcel Pagnol
Marcel Pagnol was a French novelist, playwright, and filmmaker. In 1946, he became the first filmmaker elected to the Académie Française.-Biography:...
and Albert Cohen
Albert Cohen
Albert Cohen was a Greek-born Romaniote Jewish Swiss novelist who wrote in French. He worked as a civil servant for various international organizations, such as the International Labour Organization...
. After completing his secondary education in Champittet, Switzerland, he studied law at the University of Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
. Counsel to the bar of Marseille between 1920 and 1924, he abandoned his legal career to turn to literature.
Brion wrote nearly a hundred books in his career, ranging from historical biography to examinations of Italian and German art, and turning later in life to novels. His most famous collection of stories is the 1942 Les Escales de la Haute Nuit (The Shore Leaves Of The Deepest Night). An essay of Brion appears in Our Exagmination Round His Factification for Incamination of Work in Progress
Our Exagmination Round His Factification for Incamination of Work in Progress
Our Exagmination Round His Factification for Incamination of Work in Progress is a 1929 collection of critical essays, and two letters, on the subject of James Joyce's book Finnegans Wake, then being published in discrete sections under the title Work in Progress...
, the important 1929 critical appreciation of James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
's Finnegans Wake
Finnegans Wake
Finnegans Wake is a novel by Irish author James Joyce, significant for its experimental style and resulting reputation as one of the most difficult works of fiction in the English language. Written in Paris over a period of seventeen years, and published in 1939, two years before the author's...
.
He was a friend of the philosopher Xavier Tilliette
Xavier Tilliette
Xavier Tilliette is a French philosopher, historian of philosophy and theologian, born on July 23, 1921, in Corbie . Former student of Jean Wahl and of Vladimir Jankélévitch, he is a member of the Society of Jesus and professor emeritus at the Catholic Institute of Paris , at the Pontifical...
.
In 1964, Brion was elected to the French Academy chair 33, replacing his friend Jean-Louis Vaudoyer
Jean-Louis Vaudoyer
Jean-Louis Vaudoyer was a French novelist, poet, essayist and art historian. He was also administrator general of the Comédie-Française from 1941 to 1944.- External links :*...
. Other distinctions include membership in the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
, the Croix de guerre 1914–1918
Croix de guerre 1914-1918 (France)
The Croix de guerre 1914–1918 is a French military decoration.-Creation:Soon after the outbreak of World War I, French military officials felt that a new military award had to be created...
, a Grand Officer in the French Ordre national du Mérite
Ordre National du Mérite
The Ordre national du Mérite is an Order of State awarded by the President of the French Republic. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle...
, and an Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
.
The 1982 television program The Romantic Spirit
The Romantic Spirit
The Romantic Spirit is a ©1982 British documentary television series in 14 episodes about the Romantic movement in Western culture. The series is an Anglo-French-German production presented by R.M. Productions Ltd...
, which aired in the U.S. on the A&E Network
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
from 1985-1991, credits Brion as having "devised" the series.
His son, Patrick Brion, critic and film historian, is the "voice" of Cinema midnight on France 3.