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Jules de Goncourt

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Jules de Goncourt was a famous writer from France.

Jules de Goncourt
Jules de Goncourt

He spent much of his life writing books with his brother, Edmond. Together, they explored history and art through their words. Their work helped change how people wrote stories about real life. People still honor his memory today with a special award. This yearly prize is called the Prix Goncourt. It is one of the most important honors for writers in France.

Jules de Goncourt
Jules de Goncourt

The brothers worked in many different ways. First, they studied the history of the 18th century. They wrote essays about the art from that time. They also collected many beautiful objects and old papers. These items included drawings, prints, and even old letters. Later, they began writing novels that focused on real people. They wanted to show how different social classes lived. Their style was called Naturalism, which means writing about life as it truly is.

Jules was born in Paris in 1830. His father was a cavalry officer in Napoleon I's army. His grandfather was even a member of the National Assembly in 1789. Jules was a very talented student at the Lycée Condorcet. He studied hard and won awards for Greek and Latin. Both of his parents died while he and Edmond were still young. This left the brothers with enough money to focus on their art. They lived in a place called Auteuil starting in 1868.

The brothers wrote many famous books together. One important series was called "L'Art du XVIIIe Siècle." This work was not finished until 1875. They also wrote a famous novel called Germinie Lacerteux in 1864. This book was based on the life of their own housekeeper. Their home in the Paris suburb of Auteuil became very famous. Strangers often wrote to them asking to visit their art collections. Jules died in 1870 at the age of 39. He died from an illness called syphilis.

Jules's work helped pave the way for other great writers. Famous authors like Émile Zola wrote in a similar way. After Jules died, Edmond finished many of their shared projects. Edmond also published a large journal that the brothers started in 1851. This journal helped keep their ideas alive for many years. Today, Jules is buried with his brother in the Cimetière de Montmartre. Their names remain important in the world of French literature.

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