Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (; 28 January 1873 – 3 August 1954), known

mononymously A mononym is a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is a mononymous person. In some cases, a mononym selected by an individual may have originally been from a polynym, a word which refers to one o ...

as Colette, was a French author and woman of letters. She was also a

mime Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) is an Internet standard that extends the format of email messages to support text in character sets other than ASCII, as well as attachments of audio, video, images, and application programs. Message ...

, actress, and journalist. Colette is best known in the English-speaking world for her 1944 novella '' Gigi'', which was the basis for the 1958 film and the 1973 stage production of the same name. Her short story collection ''

The Tendrils of the Vine ''The Tendrils of the Vine'' () is a collection of 20 novellas by Colette Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (; 28 January 1873 – 3 August 1954), known mononymously as Colette, was a French author and woman of letters. She was also a mime, actress, ...

'' is also famous in France.

Life and career

Family and background

Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette was born on 28 January 1873 to war hero and tax collector Jules-Joseph Colette (1829–1905) and his wife Adèle Eugénie Sidonie ("Sido"), ''née'' Landoy (1835–1912), in the village of

Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye () is a Communes of France, commune in the north-central French Departments of France, department of Yonne. It is located in an area historically known as Puisaye. In the early 1970s the Château de la Folie, north of the ...

in the department of

Yonne Yonne () is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in France. It is named after the river Yonne, which flows through it, in the country's north-central part. One of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté's eight constituent departments, it is lo ...

Burgundy Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The c ...

. Jules-Joseph Colette was a

Zouave The Zouaves were a class of light infantry regiments of the French Army serving between 1830 and 1962 and linked to French North Africa; as well as some units of other countries modelled upon them. The zouaves were among the most decorated unit ...

of the Saint-Cyr military school. A war hero who had lost a leg in the

Second Italian War of Independence The Second Italian War of Independence, also called the Franco-Austrian War, the Austro-Sardinian War or Italian War of 1859 ( it, Seconda guerra d'indipendenza italiana; french: Campagne d'Italie), was fought by the Second French Empire and t ...

, he was awarded a post as tax collector in the village of

where his children were born. Colette was the youngest of four children. She had three older siblings: an older maternal half-sister, Héloïse (1860–1908), an older maternal half-brother, Edmé (1863–1913), and a full older brother, Léopold (1866–?). Colette attended a public school from the ages of 6 to 17. The family was initially well off, but poor financial management substantially reduced their income.

Early years, 1873–1912

In 1893, Colette married

Henry Gauthier-Villars Henry Gauthier-Villars (8 August 1859 – 12 January 1931), known by the pen name Willy , was a French ''fin de siècle'' writer and music critic who is today mostly known as the mentor and first husband of Colette. Other pseudonyms used by Gauth ...

(1859–1931), a well-known author and publisher who used the

pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...

"Willy.". Her first four novels – the four Claudine stories: ''Claudine à l'école'' (1900), ''Claudine à Paris'' (1901), ''Claudine en ménage'' (1902), and ''Claudine s'en va'' (1903) – appeared under his name. (The four are published in English as ''Claudine at School'', ''Claudine in Paris'', ''Claudine Married'', and ''Claudine and Annie''). The novels chart the coming of age and young adulthood of their titular heroine, Claudine, from an unconventional fifteen-year-old in a Burgundian village to a doyenne of the literary salons of turn-of-the-century Paris. The story they tell is semi-autobiographical, although Claudine, unlike Colette, is motherless. The marriage to Gauthier-Villars allowed Colette to devote her time to writing. She later said she would never have become a writer if it had not been for Willy. Fourteen years older than his wife and one of the most notorious

libertine A libertine is a person devoid of most moral principles, a sense of responsibility, or sexual restraints, which they see as unnecessary or undesirable, and is especially someone who ignores or even spurns accepted morals and forms of behaviour ob ...

s in Paris, he introduced his wife into avant-garde intellectual and artistic circles and encouraged her

lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...

alliances. And it was he who chose the titillating subject matter of the Claudine novels: "the secondary myth of

Sappho Sappho (; el, Σαπφώ ''Sapphō'' ; Aeolic Greek ''Psápphō''; c. 630 – c. 570 BC) was an Archaic Greek poet from Eresos or Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. Sappho is known for her Greek lyric, lyric poetry, written to be sung while ...

... the girls' school or convent ruled by a seductive female teacher." Willy "locked her

olette Olette (; ca, Oleta i Èvol) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Geography Olette is located in the canton of Les Pyrénées catalanes and in the arrondissement of Prades. Olette-Canaveilles-les-Bains s ...

in her room until she produced enough pages to suit him." Colette and Willy separated in 1906, although their divorce was not final until 1910. Colette had no access to the sizable earnings of the Claudine books – the copyright belonged to Willy – and until 1912 she initiated a stage career in music halls across France, sometimes playing Claudine in sketches from her own novels, earning barely enough to survive and often hungry and ill. To make ends meet, she turned more seriously to journalism in the 1910s. Around this time she also became an avid amateur photographer. This period of her life is recalled in '' La Vagabonde'' (1910), which deals with women's independence in a male society, a theme to which she would regularly return in future works. During these years she embarked on a series of relationships with other women, notably with

Natalie Clifford Barney Natalie Clifford Barney (October 31, 1876 – February 2, 1972) was an American writer who hosted a salon (gathering), literary salon at her home in Paris that brought together French and international writers. She influenced other authors throu ...

and with the gender ambiguous Mathilde de Morny, the Marquise de Belbeuf ("Max"), with whom she sometimes shared the stage. On 3 January 1907, an onstage kiss between Max and Colette in a pantomime entitled "Rêve d'Égypte" caused a near-riot, and as a result, they were no longer able to live together openly, although their relationship continued for another five years. In 1912, Colette married

Henry de Jouvenel Henry de Jouvenel des Ursins (5 April 1876 – 5 October 1935) was a French journalist and statesman.

, the editor of '' Le Matin''. A daughter,

Colette de Jouvenel Colette de Jouvenel, also known as Bel-Gazou, (July 19131981) was the French producer of an animated film. She was the daughter of French writer Colette and her second husband, Henri de Jouvenel. She was the half-sister of :fr:Renaud de Jouvene ...

, nicknamed ''Bel-Gazou'', was born to them in 1913.

Writing career, 1920s and 1930s

In 1920 Colette published '' Chéri'', portraying love between an older woman and a much younger man. Chéri is the lover of Léa, a wealthy

courtesan Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress (lover), mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the Royal cour ...

; Léa is devastated when Chéri marries a girl his own age and delighted when he returns to her, but after one final night together she sends him away again. Colette's marriage to Jouvenel ended in divorce in 1924, due partly to his infidelities and partly to her affair with her 16-year-old stepson,

Bertrand de Jouvenel Bertrand de Jouvenel des Ursins (31 October 1903 – 1 March 1987) was a French philosopher, political economist, and futurist. He taught at the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, the University of Manchester, Yale University, ...

. In 1925 she met Maurice Goudeket, who became her final husband; the couple stayed together until her death. Colette was by then an established writer (''The Vagabond'' had received three votes for the prestigious ''

Prix Goncourt The Prix Goncourt (french: Le prix Goncourt, , ''The Goncourt Prize'') is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year". The prize carries a symbolic reward o ...

''). The decades of the 1920s and 1930s were her most productive and innovative period. Set mostly in Burgundy or Paris during the

Belle Époque The Belle Époque or La Belle Époque (; French for "Beautiful Epoch") is a period of French and European history, usually considered to begin around 1871–1880 and to end with the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era ...

, her work focused on married life and sexuality. It was frequently quasi-autobiographical: ''Chéri'' (1920) and ''Le Blé en Herbe'' (1923) both deal with love between an aging woman and a very young man, a situation reflecting her relationship with Bertrand de Jouvenel and with her third husband Goudeket, who was 16 years her junior. ''La Naissance du Jour'' (1928) is her explicit criticism of the conventional lives of women, expressed in meditation on age and the renunciation of love by the character of her mother, Sido. By this time Colette was frequently acclaimed as France's greatest woman writer. "It... has no plot, and yet tells of three lives all that should be known", wrote

Janet Flanner Janet Flanner (March 13, 1892 – November 7, 1978) was an American writer and pioneering narrative journalist who served as the Paris correspondent of ''The New Yorker'' magazine from 1925 until she retired in 1975.Yagoda, Ben ''About T ...

of ''Sido'' (1929). "Once again, and at greater length than usual, she has been hailed for her genius, humanities and perfect prose by those literary journals which years ago... lifted nothing at all in her direction except the finger of scorn." During the 1920s she was associated with the Jewish-Algerian writer

Elissa Rhaïs Elissa Rhaïs, Hebrew language, Hebrew: אליסה ראיס, born Rosine Boumendil (12 December 1876 – 18 August 1940) was a History of the Jews in Algeria, Jewish-Algerian writer, who adopted the persona of a Muslim woman who had escaped from ...

, who adopted a Muslim persona in order to market her novels.

Last years, 1940–1954

Colette was 67 years old when the Germans defeated and occupied France, and she remained in Paris, in her apartment in the

Palais-Royal The Palais-Royal () is a former royal palace located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. The screened entrance court faces the Place du Palais-Royal, opposite the Louvre. Originally called the Palais-Cardinal, it was built for Cardinal ...

. Her husband Maurice Goudeket, who was Jewish, was arrested by the

Gestapo The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one organi ...

in December 1941, and although he was released after seven weeks through the intervention of the French wife of the German ambassador, Colette lived through the rest of the war years with the anxiety of a possible second arrest. During the

Occupation Occupation commonly refers to: *Occupation (human activity), or job, one's role in society, often a regular activity performed for payment *Occupation (protest), political demonstration by holding public or symbolic spaces *Military occupation, th ...

she produced two volumes of memoirs, ''Journal à Rebours'' (1941) and ''De ma Fenêtre'' (1942; the two were issued in English in 1975 as ''Looking Backwards''). She Colette the journalist) and her novel ''Julie de Carneilhan'' (1941) contains many anti-Semitic slurs. In 1944, Colette published what became perhaps her most famous work, '' Gigi'', which tells the story of the 16-year-old Gilberte ("Gigi") Alvar. Born into a family of demimondaines, Gigi is trained as a courtesan to captivate a wealthy lover but defies the tradition by marrying him instead. In 1949 it was made into a French film starring

Danièle Delorme Gabrielle Danièle Marguerite Andrée Girard (9 October 1926 – 17 October 2015), known by her stage name Danièle Delorme, was a French actress and film producer, famous for her roles in films directed by Marc Allégret, Julien Duvivier or Y ...

and

Gaby Morlay Gaby Morlay (born Blanche Pauline Fumoleau; 8 June 1893 – 4 July 1964) was a film actress from France.

, then in 1951 adapted for the stage with the then-unknown

Audrey Hepburn Audrey Hepburn (born Audrey Kathleen Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress and humanitarian. Recognised as both a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, t ...

in the title role, picked by Colette personally; the 1958 Hollywood musical movie, starring

Leslie Caron Leslie Claire Margaret Caron (; born 1 July 1931) is a French-American actress and dancer. She is the recipient of a Golden Globe Award, two BAFTA Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards. She is one ...

and

Louis Jourdan Louis Jourdan (born Louis Robert Gendre; 19 June 1921 – 14 February 2015) was a French film and television actor. He was known for his suave roles in several Hollywood films, including Alfred Hitchcock's ''The Paradine Case'' (1947), '' Lette ...

, with a screenplay by

Alan Jay Lerner Alan Jay Lerner (August 31, 1918 – June 14, 1986) was an American lyricist and librettist. In collaboration with Frederick Loewe, and later Burton Lane, he created some of the world's most popular and enduring works of musical theatre bot ...

and a score by Lerner and

Frederick Loewe Frederick Loewe (, originally German Friedrich (Fritz) Löwe ; June 10, 1901 – February 14, 1988) was an Austrian-United States, American composer. He collaborated with lyricist Alan Jay Lerner on a series of Broadway musicals, including ''Br ...

, won the Academy Award for Best Picture. In the postwar years, Colette became a famous public figure, crippled by arthritis and cared for by Goudeket, who supervised the preparation of her ''Œuvres Complètes'' (1948–1950). She continued to write during those yearsand published out ''L'Etoile Vesper'' (1944) and ''Le Fanal Bleu'' (1949) in which she reflected on the problems of a writer whose inspiration is primarily autobiographical. She was nominated by

Claude Farrère Claude Farrère, pseudonym of Frédéric-Charles Bargone (27 April 1876, in Lyon – 21 June 1957, in Paris), was a French Navy officer and writer. Many of his novels are based in exotic locations such as Istanbul, Saigon, or Nagasaki. One of ...

for the

Nobel Prize in Literature ) , image = Nobel Prize.png , caption = , awarded_for = Outstanding contributions in literature , presenter = Swedish Academy , holder = Annie Ernaux (2022) , location = Stockholm, Sweden , year = 1901 , ...

in 1948.

Colette the journalist

Colette's first pieces of journalism (1895-1900) were written in collaboration with her husband, Gauthier-Villars -- music reviews for ''La Cocarde'', a daily founded by Maurice Barres and a series of pieces for

La Fronde The Fronde () was a series of civil wars in France between 1648 and 1653, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659), Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. King Louis XIV confronted the combined opposition of the pr ...

. Following her divorce from Gauthier-Villars in 1910, she wrote independently for a wide variety of publications, gaining considerable renown for her articles covering social trends, theater, fashion, and film, as well as crime reporting." In December 1910, Colette agreed to write a regular column in the Paris daily, Le Matin -- at first under a pseudonym, then as "Colette Willy." One of her editors was Henry de Jouvenel, whom she married in 1912. By 1912, Colette had taught herself to be a reporter: "You have to see and not invent, you have to touch, not imagine .. because, when you see the sheets

t a crime scene T, or t, is the twentieth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''tee'' (pronounced ), plural ''tees''. It is deri ...

drenched in fresh blood, they are a color you could never invent." In 1914, Colette was named Le Matin's literary editor. Colette's separation from Jouvenel in 1923 forced her to sever ties with Le Matin. Over the next three decades her articles appeared in over two dozen publications, including

Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...

Le Figaro ''Le Figaro'' () is a French daily morning newspaper founded in 1826. It is headquartered on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. The oldest national newspaper in France, ''Le Figaro'' is one of three French newspapers of reco ...

, and Paris-Soir. During the

German Occupation of France The Military Administration in France (german: Militärverwaltung in Frankreich; french: Occupation de la France par l'Allemagne) was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II to administer the occupied zo ...

, Colette continued contributing to daily and weekly publications, a number of them collaborationist and pro-Nazi, including

Le Petit Parisien ''Le Petit Parisien'' was a prominent French newspaper during the French Third Republic. It was published between 1876 and 1944, and its circulation was over two million after the First World War. Publishing Despite its name, the paper was circu ...

, which became a pro-Vichy after January 1941, and

La Gerbe ''La Gerbe'' (, ''The Sheaf'') was a weekly newspaper of the French collaboration with Nazi Germany during World War II that appeared in Paris from July 1940 till August 1944. Its political-literary line was modeled after ''Candide'' and '' Gring ...

, a pro-Nazi weekly. Though her articles were not political in nature, Colette was sharply criticized at the time for lending her prestige to these publications and implicitly accommodating herself to the Vichy regime. Her November 26, 1942 article, "Ma Bourgogne Pauvre" ("My Poor Burgundy") has been singled out by some historians as tactically accepting some of ultra-nationalist goals that hardline Vichyist writers espoused. After 1945, her journalism was sporadic, and her final pieces were more personal essays than reported stories. Over the course of her writing career, Colette published over 1200 articles for newspapers, magazines, and journals.

Death and legacy

Upon her death, on 3 August 1954, she was refused a religious funeral by the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

on account of her

divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...

s, but given a

state funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of Etiquette, protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive ...

, the first French woman of letters to be granted the honour, and interred in Père-Lachaise cemetery. perelachaise-Colette-p1000342

Colette was elected to the

Belgian Royal Academy Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct language ...

(1935), the

Académie Goncourt The Société littéraire des Goncourt (Goncourt Literary Society), usually called the Académie Goncourt (Goncourt Academy), is a French literary organisation based in Paris. It was founded in 1900 by the French writer and publisher Edmond de Go ...

(1945, and President in 1949), and a Chevalier (1920) and Grand Officer (1953) of the

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

. Colette's numerous biographers have proposed widely differing interpretations of her life and work over the decades. Initially considered a limited if talented novelist (despite the outspoken admiration in her lifetime of figures such as

André Gide André Paul Guillaume Gide (; 22 November 1869 – 19 February 1951) was a French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature (in 1947). Gide's career ranged from its beginnings in the Symbolism (arts), symbolist movement, to the advent o ...

and

Henry de Montherlant Henry Marie Joseph Frédéric Expedite Millon de Montherlant (; 20 April 1895 – 21 September 1972) was a French essayist, novelist, and dramatist. He was elected to the Académie française in 1960. Biography Born in Paris, a descendant o ...

), she has been increasingly recognised as an important voice in women's writing. Before Colette's death,

Katherine Anne Porter Katherine Anne Porter (May 15, 1890 – September 18, 1980) was an American journalist, essayist, short story writer, novelist, and political activist. Her 1962 novel ''Ship of Fools'' was the best-selling novel in America that year, but her sho ...

wrote in the ''New York Times'' that Colette "is the greatest living French writer of fiction; and that she was while Gide and Proust still lived." Singer-songwriter

Rosanne Cash Rosanne Cash (born May 24, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of country musician Johnny Cash and Vivian Liberto Cash Distin, Johnny Cash's first wife. Although she is often classified as a country art ...

paid tribute to the writer in the song, "The Summer I Read Colette", on her 1996 album ''

10 Song Demo ''10 Song Demo'' is an album by the American musician Rosanne Cash. Released in 1996, it was her first album for Capitol Records. The album's first single, "The Summer I Read Collette", is a tribute to French novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette. It ...

''.

Truman Capote Truman Garcia Capote ( ; born Truman Streckfus Persons; September 30, 1924 – August 25, 1984) was an American novelist, screenwriter, playwright and actor. Several of his short stories, novels, and plays have been praised as literary classics, ...

wrote an essay in 1970 about meeting her, called "The White Rose". It tells how, when she saw him admiring a paperweight on a table (the "white rose" of the title), she insisted he take it; Capote initially refused the gift, but “…when I protested that I couldn’t accept as a present something she so clearly adored, he replied'My dear, really there is no point in giving a gift unless one also treasures it oneself.'” "Lucette Stranded on the Island" by

Julia Holter Julia Shammas Holter (born December 18, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, composer, artist and academic, based in Los Angeles. Following three independent album productions, Holter released ''Tragedy'' as her first official ...

, from her 2015 album ''

Have You in My Wilderness ''Have You in My Wilderness'' is the fourth studio album by American musician Julia Holter, released on September 25, 2015, by Domino Recording Company. Co-produced by Holter and Cole M.G.N., the album was preceded by the singles "Feel You" and " ...

'', is based on a minor character from Colette's short story ''Chance Acquaintances''. In the 1991 film ''Becoming Colette'', Colette is played by the French actress

Mathilda May Mathilda May (born Karin Haïm; 8 February 1965) is a French film actress. Early life May was born in Paris, France. Her father, playwright Victor Haïm, is of Sephardic Jewish ( Greek-Jewish and Turkish-Jewish) descent. Her mother is the Sw ...

. In the 2018 film ''

Colette Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (; 28 January 1873 – 3 August 1954), known mononymously as Colette, was a French author and woman of letters. She was also a mime, actress, and journalist. Colette is best known in the English-speaking world for her ...

'', the title character is played by

Keira Knightley Keira Christina Righton (; née Knightley, born 26 March 1985) is an English actress. Known for her work in both independent films and blockbusters, particularly period dramas, she has received several accolades, including nominations for ...

. Both films focus on Colette's life in her twenties, her marriage to her first husband, and the publication of her first novels under his name.

Notable works

*''Claudine à l'école'' (1900, translated as ''

Claudine at School ''Claudine at School'' (french: Claudine à l'école) is a 1900 novel by the French writer Colette. The narrative recounts the final year of secondary school of 15-year-old Claudine, her brazen confrontations with her headmistress, Mlle Sergent, a ...

'') *''Claudine à Paris'' (1901, translated as ''Claudine in Paris'') *''Claudine en ménage'' (1902, translated as ''Claudine Married'') *''Claudine s'en va'' (1903, translated as ''Claudine and Annie'') *''Dialogues de bêtes'' (1904) *''La Retraite sentimentale'' (1907) *''

Les Vrilles de la vigne ''The Tendrils of the Vine'' () is a collection of 20 novellas by Colette, published in 1908. The first story, ''Les Vrilles de la vigne'', was first published in ''Le Mercure musical'' on 15 May 1905. It was ranked #59 in Le Monde's 100 Books o ...

'' (1908) *'' La Vagabonde'' (1910) *''L'Envers du music hall'' (1913) *''L'Entrave'' (1913, translated as ''The Shackle'') *''La Paix chez les bêtes'' (1916) *''

L'Enfant et les sortilèges ''L'enfant et les sortilèges: Fantaisie lyrique en deux parties'' (''The Child and the Spells: A Lyric Fantasy in Two Parts'') is an opera in one act, with music by Maurice Ravel to a libretto by Colette. It is Ravel's second opera, his first be ...

'' (1917,

Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...

opera

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

) *''

Mitsou Mitsou Annie Marie Gélinas (born September 1, 1970, in Loretteville, Quebec) is a Canadian pop singer, businesswoman, television and radio host, and actress. She is credited as Mitsou Gélinas when acting, but records simply as Mitsou (the Fre ...

'' (1919) *'' Chéri'' (1920) *''La Maison de Claudine'' (1922, translated as ''The House of Claudine'') *''L'Autre Femme'' (1922, translated as ''The Other Woman'') *''

Le Blé en herbe ''Green Wheat'' (french: Le Blé en herbe) is a 1923 novel by the French writer Colette. The book was written during the vacation of the writer on her property Roz-Ven in Saint-Coulomb, between Saint-Malo and Cancale. Plot Phil and Vinca meet e ...

'' (1923, translated as ''Ripening Seed'') *''

La Fin de Chéri LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

'' (1926, translated as ''The Last of Chéri'' or ''The End of Chéri'') *'' La Naissance du jour'' (1928, translated as ''Break of Day'') *''Sido'' (1929) *''La Seconde'' (1929, translated as ''The Other One'') *''Le Pur et l'Impur'' (1932, translated as ''The Pure and the Impure'') *'' La Chatte'' (1933) *''

Duo Duo may refer to: Places *Duo, West Virginia, an unincorporated community and coal town in Greenbrier County, West Virginia *Duo, Tampere, a shopping centre in Hervanta, Tampere, Finland * DUO, a twin-tower development in Singapore Arts, enterta ...

'' (1934) *'' Julie de Carneilhan'' (1941) *''Le Képi'' (1943) *'' Gigi'' (1944) *''Paris de ma fenêtre'' (1944) *''L'Étoile Vesper'' (1947) *''Le Fanal Bleu'' (1949, translated as ''The Blue Lantern'') *''Paradis terrestre'', with photographs by

Izis Bidermanas Israëlis Bidermanas (17 January 1911 – 16 May 1980 in Paris), who worked under the name of Izis, was a Lithuanian-Jewish photographer who worked in France and is best known for his photographs of French circuses and of Paris. Biography Born in ...

(1953) Source:

Filmography

* ', directed by

Solange Térac Solange Térac (13 February 1907 – 14 September 1993) was a French screenwriter and film director.Kedward & Wood p.116 Primarily a writer, she directed three films including '' Koenigsmark'' (1953). Selected filmography Director * ''La vagabon ...

(France, 1932, based on the novel '' The Vagabond'') * ', directed by

Serge de Poligny Serge de Poligny (1903–1983) was a French screenwriter and film director. Career Serge de Poligny was born in Paris in 1903. He studied art at the École des Beaux-Arts in the class of the painter Maurice Denis. In 1925 he joined the French ...

(France, 1937, based on the novel ''

'') * '' Gigi'', directed by

Jacqueline Audry Jacqueline Audry (25 September 1908 – 22 June 1977) was a French film director who began making films in post-World War II France and specialised in literary adaptations. She was the first commercially successful female director of post-war ...

(France, 1949, based on the novella '' Gigi'') * '' Julie de Carneilhan'', directed by

Jacques Manuel Jacques Manuel (1897–1968) was a French costume designer and occasional film editor and film director, director.Goble p.784 Selected filmography Costume designer * ''La Route impériale'' (1935) * ''Woman of Malacca'' (1937) * ''The Citadel of S ...

(France, 1950, based on the novel '' Julie de Carneilhan'') * ', directed by

(France, 1950, based on the novel ') * ', directed by Pierre Billon (France, 1950, based on the novel '' Chéri'') * ''

'', directed by

Claude Autant-Lara Claude Autant-Lara (; 5 August 1901 – 5 February 2000) was a French film director and later Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Biography Born at Luzarches in Val-d'Oise, Autant-Lara was educated in France and at London's Mill Hill Sc ...

(France, 1954, based on the novel ''

Green Wheat ''Green Wheat'' (french: Le Blé en herbe) is a 1923 novel by the French writer Colette. The book was written during the vacation of the writer on her property Roz-Ven in Saint-Coulomb, between Saint-Malo and Cancale. Plot Phil and Vinca meet e ...

'') * ''

'', directed by

(France, 1956, based on the novella ''

'') * ''

NBC Matinee Theater ''Matinee Theater'' is an American anthology series that aired on NBC during the Golden Age of Television, from October 31, 1955, to June 27, 1958. Its name is often seen as ''Matinee Theatre''. The series, which ran daily from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. E ...

: The Vagabond'' (1958, TV series episode, based on the novel '' The Vagabond'') * '' Gigi'', directed by

Vincente Minnelli Vincente Minnelli (born Lester Anthony Minnelli; February 28, 1903 – July 25, 1986) was an American stage director and film director. He directed the classic movie musicals ''Meet Me in St. Louis'' (1944), ''An American in Paris'' (1951), ''Th ...

(1958, based on the novella '' Gigi'') * ''Chéri'', directed by François Chatel (France, 1962, TV film, based on the novel '' Chéri'') * ''The Gentle Libertine or How Young Girls Grow Wise'', directed by Robert Kitts (UK, 1967, TV film, based on the novel ') * ''Away from It All: The Ripening Seed'', directed by

Mischa Scorer Mischa Scorer is a British documentary film-maker. Biography Mischa Scorer worked as producer for BBC Television from 1965 to 1979, first in the Religious Broadcasting Department where he made such documentaries as "Padre Pio" (1968) for which ...

(UK, 1973, TV series episode, based on the novel ''

'') * ''Chéri'', directed by

Claude Whatham Claude Whatham (7 December 1927 in Manchester – 4 January 2008 in Anglesey) was an English film and TV director mainly known for his work on dramas. Early life In 1940, Whatham, a teenage evacuee art student, had been commissioned to paint fa ...

(UK, 1973, TV miniseries, based on the novel '' Chéri'') * ''La Seconde'', directed by

Hervé Bromberger Hervé Bromberger (11 November 1918 – 25 November 1993) was a French film director and screenwriter. He directed 16 films between 1951 and 1982. His 1951 film ''Paris Vice Squad'' was entered into the 1951 Cannes Film Festival. Selected ...

(France, 1973, TV film, based on the novel ''La Seconde'') * ', directed by

Édouard Molinaro Édouard Molinaro (13 May 1928 – 7 December 2013) was a French film director and screenwriter. Biography He was born in Bordeaux, Gironde. He is best known for his comedies with Louis de Funès (''Oscar'', ''Hibernatus''), '' My Uncle Benja ...

(France, 1978, TV miniseries, based on the ''

Claudine Claudine may refer to: Name * Claudine (given name), a feminine given name of French origin Culture * ''Claudine'' (film), a 1974 American film by John Berry ** ''Claudine'' (soundtrack), its soundtrack album. Music by Curtis Mayfield and Gladis ...

'' novels) * ', directed by

Jacques Demy Jacques Demy (; 5 June 1931 – 27 October 1990) was a French director, lyricist, and screenwriter. He appeared at the height of the French New Wave alongside contemporaries like Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut. Demy's films are celebrat ...

(France, 1980, TV film, based on the novel ''

Break of Day ''Break of Day'' (french: La Naissance du jour) is a 1928 novel by the French writer Colette. It was adapted into a 1980 film directed by Jacques Demy. Reception Elaine Marks reviewed the book for ''The New York Times'' in 1961: "It may well be th ...

'') * ''Emmenez-moi au théâtre: Chéri'', directed by

Yves-André Hubert Yves-André Hubert is a French actor, television film director and theatre '' metteur en scène''. He received a Sept d'or award in 1988 for '' L'Affaire Marie Besnard''. Filmography * 1961 : ''Youm et les longues moustaches'' * 1962 : '' Les ...

(France, 1984, TV series episode, based on the novel '' Chéri'') * ''Gigi'', directed by Jeannette Hubert (France, 1987, TV film, based on the novella '' Gigi'') * ''Julie de Carneilhan'', directed by

Christopher Frank Christopher Frank (5 December 1942, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, UK – 19 November 1993, Paris, France) was a British-born French writer, screenwriter, and film director. He won the 1972 Prix Renaudot for his novel ''La Nuit américaine'' t ...

(France, 1990, TV film, based on the novel ''Julie de Carneilhan'') * ''Le Blé en herbe'', directed by Serge Meynard (France, 1990, TV film, based on the novel ''

'') * ''La Seconde'', directed by

(France, 1990, TV film, based on the novel ''La Seconde'') * ''Duo'', directed by

Claude Santelli Claude Santelli (17 June 1923 – 14 December 2001) was a French film director and screenwriter. He directed 25 films between 1968 and 1996. Selected filmography * ''Histoire vraie'' (1973) * ''Madame Baptiste ''Madame Baptiste'' is a 1 ...

(France, 1990, TV film, based on the novel ''

'') * ''Bella Vista'', directed by

Alfredo Arias Alfredo Carlos Arias Sánchez (born 28 November 1958 in Shangrilá) is a Uruguayan football manager and former player who played as a forward. He is the current manager of Colombian club Independiente Medellín Deportivo Independiente Medell� ...

(France, 1992, TV film, based on the short story ''Bella-Vista'') * ', directed by

Caroline Huppert Caroline Huppert (born 28 October 1950) is a French film director and screenwriter. She is the sister of French actress Isabelle Huppert and has directed more than 30 films since 1977. Early life and career Huppert was born in the 16th arrondis ...

(France, 2006, TV film, based on the novella '' Gigi'') * '' Chéri'', directed by

Stephen Frears Stephen Arthur Frears (born 20 June 1941) is an English director and producer of film and television often depicting real life stories as well as projects that explore social class through sharply drawn characters. He's received numerous accola ...

(UK, 2009, based on the novel '' Chéri'')

Screenwriter

* 1934: ''

Lake of Ladies ''Lake of Ladies'' or ''Ladies Lake'' (French: ''Lac aux dames'') is a 1934 French drama film directed by Marc Allégret and starring Rosine Deréan, Simone Simon and Illa Meery.Bergfelder, Harris & Street p.78 The film's sets were designed by ...

'' (dir.

Marc Allégret Marc Allégret (22 December 1900 – 3 November 1973) was a French screenwriter, photographer and film director. Biography Born in Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland, he was the elder brother of Yves Allégret. Marc was educated to be a lawyer in ...

) * 1935: ''

Divine Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine

'' (dir.

Max Ophüls Maximillian Oppenheimer (; 6 May 1902 – 26 March 1957), known as Max Ophüls (; ), was a German-French film director who worked in Germany (1931–1933), France (1933–1940 and 1950–1957), and the United States (1947–1950). He made near ...

)

Films about Colette

*', directed by

Yannick Bellon Marie-Annick Bellon, usually known as Yannick Bellon, (6 April 1924 – 2 June 2019), was a French film director, editor and screenwriter. Initially known for her documentary work, in 1972 she made her first feature film, ''Quelque part quelqu’u ...

(France, 1952, short documentary) *', directed by

Danny Huston Daniel Sallis Huston (born May 14, 1962) is an Italian-born American actor and film director. A member of the Huston family of filmmakers, he is the son of director John Huston and the half-brother of actress Anjelica Huston. He is known for h ...

(1991), with

as Colette *''

Colette, une femme libre ''Colette, une femme libre'' is a 2004 Biographical miniseries which explored the life of Colette. Cast * Marie Trintignant as Colette * Wladimir Yordanoff as Henry Gauthier-Villars * Lambert Wilson as Henry de Jouvenel * Barbara Schulz as Pol ...

'', directed by

Nadine Trintignant Nadine Trintignant (née Marquand; born 11 November 1934) is a French film director, producer, editor, screenwriter, and novelist. She is known for making films that surround the topic of family and relationships, such as '' Ça n'arrive qu'aux a ...

(France, 2004, TV film), with

Marie Trintignant Marie Trintignant (; 21 January 1962 – 1 August 2003) was a French film and stage actress. She appeared in over 30 movies during the span of her 36-year career. Her family was deeply involved in France's film industry, as her father was an acto ...

as Colette *''

'', directed by

Wash Westmoreland Paul Westmoreland (born 4 March 1966), known professionally as Wash Westmoreland and previously known as Wash West, is a British director who has worked in television, documentaries, and independent films. He frequently collaborated with his hus ...

(2018), with

as Colette *'' Colette, l'insoumise'', directed by

Cécile Denjean Cécile or Cecile is a female given name or surname. People Given name * Ce'cile (Cecile Charlton, born 1976), Jamaican musician * Severin Cecile Abega (1955–2008), Cameroonian author * Cécile Aubry (1928–2010), retired French film actress a ...

(France, 2018, documentary)

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * * *Hennigfeld, Ursula/ Hörner, Fernand/ Link-Heer, Ursula (2006). ''Literarische Gendertheorie. Eros und Gesellschaft bei Proust und Colette''. Bielefeld, Transcript. * * * * * * * * * * * * *

External links

*
Centre d'études Colette
* * *
Portrait of Colette
by

Irving Penn Irving Penn (June 16, 1917October 7, 2009) was an American photographer known for his fashion photography, portraits, and still lifes. Penn's career included work at ''Vogue'' magazine, and independent advertising work for clients including Is ...

commentary on portrait

Colette and her Cats
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colette, Sidonie-Gabrielle 1873 births 1954 deaths People from Yonne 19th-century French novelists 20th-century French novelists 19th-century French women writers 19th-century women writers 20th-century French women writers 19th-century LGBT people 20th-century LGBT people Bisexual women Bisexual writers French opera librettists French vedettes French women novelists LGBT journalists from France LGBT memoirists French LGBT novelists Modernist women writers Women opera librettists Writers from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Grand Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery

Life and career

Family and background

Early years, 1873–1912

Writing career, 1920s and 1930s

Last years, 1940–1954

Colette the journalist

Death and legacy

Notable works

Filmography

Screenwriter

Films about Colette

See also

References

Citations

Bibliography

Further reading

External links