Félix-Henri "Henry" Bataille (4 April 1872, in

Nîmes Nîmes ( , ; oc, Nimes ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the prefecture of the Gard department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. Located between the Mediterranean Sea and Cévennes, the commune of Nîmes has an estimated population of 148,5 ...

– 2 March 1922, in

Rueil-Malmaison Rueil-Malmaison () is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Île-de-France region. It is located from the centre of Paris. In 2017, it had a population of 78,152. It is one of the wealthiest suburbs of P ...

) was a French dramatist and poet. His works were popular between 1900 and the start of World War I. Bataille's parents died when he was young. He attended the

École des Beaux-Arts École des Beaux-Arts (; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth century ...

and

Académie Julian The Académie Julian () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907) that was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the number a ...

(f
''La Rampe : revue des théâtres, music-halls, concerts, cinématographes'', 1922
/ref> to study painting, but started writing when he was 14. Henry wrote plays and poems, but after the success of his second play, ''La Lépreuse'', he became a playwright exclusively. Bataille's early works explored the effects of passion on human motivation and how stifling the social conventions of the times could be. For example, ''Maman Colibri'', is about a middle-aged woman's affair with a younger man. Later, Bataille would gravitate towards the theatre of ideas and social drama. Bataille was also a theorist of subconscious motivation. While he did not use his theories in most of his own works, he influenced later playwrights such as

Jean-Jacques Bernard Jean-Jacques Bernard (30 July 1888 – 14 September 1972) was a French playwright and the chief representative of what became known as ''l’école du silence'' or, as some critics called it, the ''art of the unexpressed'', in which the dialogue doe ...

and the "school of silence".

Works

*''La Belle au bois dormant'', 1894 *''La Chambre blanche'' (poetry), 1895 *''La Lépreuse'', 1896 *''L'Enchantement'', 1900 *''Le Masque'', 1902 *''Maman Colibri (Mother Colibri)'', 1904 *''La Marche nupitale'', 1905 *''Poliche'', 1906 *''La Femme nue'', 1908 *''Le Scandale'', 1909 *''La Vierge folle (The Foolish Virgin)'', 1910 *''L'Enfant de l'amour'', 1911 *''Le Phalène'', 1913 *''L'Amazone'', 1916 *''La divine tragédie'' (poetry), 1917 *''L'Animateur'', 1920 *''L'Homme à la rose'', 1920 *''La Tendresse'', 1921 *''La Possession'', 1921 *''La Chair humaine (Human Flesh)'', 1922

Filmography

*'' The Naked Truth'', directed by

Carmine Gallone Carmine Gallone (10 September 1885 – 11 March 1973) was an early Italian film director, screenwriter, and film producer, who was also controversial for his works of pro-Fascist propaganda and historical revisionism. Considered one of Itali ...

(Italy, 1914, based on the play ''La Femme nue'') *'' The Wedding March'', directed by

(Italy, 1915, based on the play ''La Marche nupitale'') *'' La falena'', directed by

(Italy, 1916, based on the play ''Le Phalène'') *''L'Enfant de l'amour'', directed by

Emilio Ghione Emilio Luigi Carlo Giuseppe Maria Ghione (30 July 1879 – 7 January 1930), known as Emilio Ghione, was an Italian silent film actor, director and screenwriter. Ghione was best known for writing, directing, and starring in the Za La Mort series ...

(Italy, 1916, based on the play ''L'Enfant de l'amour'') *''Maman Colibri'', directed by Alfredo De Antoni (Italy, 1918, based on the play ''Maman Colibri'') *''Le Scandale'', directed by

Jacques de Baroncelli Jacques de Baroncelli (25 June 1881 – 12 January 1951) was a French film director best known for his silent films from 1915 to the late 1930s. He came from a Florence, Florentine family who had settled in Provence in the 15th century, occupying ...

(France, 1918, based on the play ''Le Scandale'') *''Incantesimo'', directed by Ugo Gracci (Italy, 1919, based on the play ''L'Enchantement'') *''La vergine folle'', directed by

Gennaro Righelli Gennaro Righelli (12 December 1886 – 6 January 1949) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and actor. He directed more than 110 films in Italy and Germany between 1910 and 1947. In 1930, he directed the first Italian sound film, ''T ...

(Italy, 1920, based on the play ''La Vierge folle'') *''La maschera'', directed by

Ivo Illuminati Ivo Illuminati (11 June 1882 – 6 September 1963) was an Italian film director, actor and screenwriter and a pioneer of the Italian silent movie.Massimo Consorti, ''Ivo Illuminati, ritratto di un artista del cinema muto'', Ripatransone, Maroni, ...

(Italy, 1921, based on the play ''Le Masque'') *''

The Nude Woman The Nude Woman may refer to: * The Nude Woman (1922 film), an Italian silent drama film * The Nude Woman (1926 film), a French silent drama film * The Nude Woman (1932 film) ''The Nude Woman'' (French: ''La femme nue'') is a 1932 French drama f ...

'', directed by

Roberto Roberti Vincenzo Leone (24 July 1879 – 10 January 1959), known professionally as Roberto Roberti, was an Italian actor, screenwriter and film director. He made over sixty films, mostly during the silent era. He was married to the actress Bice Valeria ...

(Italy, 1922, based on the play ''La Femme nue'') *'' The Scandal'', directed by Arthur Rooke (UK, 1923, based on the play ''Le Scandale'') *''

'', directed by

Léonce Perret Léonce Joseph Perret (14 March 1880 – 12 August 1935) was a prolific and innovative French film actor, director and producer.The Museum of Modern Art(retrieved 7 June 2007) He also worked as a stage actor and director. Often described as avant ...

(France, 1926, based on the play ''La Femme nue'') *''La Vierge folle'', directed by Luitz-Morat (France, 1929, based on the play ''La Vierge folle'') *'' The Wedding March'', directed by

André Hugon André Hugon (17 December 1886 – 22 August 1960) was a French film director, screenwriter and film producer best known for his silent films from 1913 onwards, particularly of the 1920s and into sound. Hugon was born in Algiers in 1886 w ...

(France, 1929, based on the play ''La Marche nupitale'') *''

La Possession La Possession () is a commune in the French overseas department of Réunion. It is located on the northwest side of the island of Réunion, between the capital of Saint-Denis and the commune of Le Port. To the territory of this commune belo ...

'', directed by

(France, 1929, based on the play ''La Possession'') *''Der Narr seiner Liebe'', directed by

Olga Chekhova Olga Konstantinovna Chekhova (; russian: Ольга Константиновна Чехова; 14 April 1897 – 9 March 1980), known in Germany as Olga Tschechowa, was a Russian-German actress. Her film roles include the female lead in Alfred ...

(Germany, 1929, based on the play ''Poliche'') *''Maman Colibri'', directed by

Julien Duvivier Julien Duvivier (; 8 October 1896 – 29 October 1967) was a French film director and screenwriter. He was prominent in French cinema in the years 1930–1960. Amongst his most original films, chiefly notable are ''La Bandera (film), La Bandera'', ...

(France, 1929, based on the play ''Maman Colibri'') *''L'Enfant de l'amour'', directed by

Marcel L'Herbier Marcel L'Herbier (; 23 April 1888 – 26 November 1979) was a French filmmaker who achieved prominence as an avant-garde theorist and imaginative practitioner with a series of silent films in the 1920s. His career as a director continued unti ...

(France, 1930, based on the play ''L'Enfant de l'amour'') *''La Tendresse'', directed by

(France, 1930, based on the play ''La Tendresse'') **''Zärtlichkeit'', directed by Richard Löwenbein (Germany, 1930, based on the play ''La Tendresse'') *''

'', directed by

Jean-Paul Paulin Jean-Paul Paulin (1902–1976) was a French film director, producer and screenwriter.Goble p.202 Selected filmography Director * ''The Nude Woman The Nude Woman may refer to: * The Nude Woman (1922 film), an Italian silent drama film * The Nude ...

(France, 1932, based on the play ''La Femme nue'') *'' Le Scandale'', directed by

(France, 1934, based on the play ''Le Scandale'') *''

Poliche ''Poliche'' is a 1934 French drama film directed by Abel Gance.''The A to Z of French Cinema'' p.119 Cast * Constant Rémy as Didier Méreuil, called "Poliche" * Marie Bell as Rosine * Edith Méra as Mme Laub * Violaine Barry * Romain Bo ...

'', directed by

Abel Gance Abel Gance (; born Abel Eugène Alexandre Péréthon; 25 October 188910 November 1981) was a French film director and producer, writer and actor. A pioneer in the theory and practice of montage, he is best known for three major silent films: ''J ...

(France, 1934, based on the play ''Poliche'') *''

The Private Life of Don Juan ''The Private Life of Don Juan'' is a 1934 British comedy-drama film directed by Alexander Korda and starring Douglas Fairbanks, Merle Oberon and Benita Hume. At the age of 51, it was the final role of Fairbanks, who died five years later. The f ...

'', directed by

Alexander Korda Sir Alexander Korda (; born Sándor László Kellner; hu, Korda Sándor; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956)Mario Bonnard Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director. Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made before World ...

(France, 1935, based on the play ''La Marche nupitale'') **'' The Wedding March'', directed by

Mario Bonnard Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director. Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made before World ...

(Italy, 1935, based on the play ''La Marche nupitale'') *''Maman Colibri'', directed by

Jean Dréville Jean Dréville (20 September 1906 – 5 March 1997) was a French film director. He directed more than 40 films between 1928 and 1969. Selected filmography * '' Autour de L'Argent'' (1928) * ''A Man of Gold'' (1934) * ''The Chess Player'' ( ...

(France, 1937, based on the play ''Maman Colibri'') *'' Second Youth'', directed by

Michał Waszyński Michał Waszyński (29 September 1904 – 20 February 1965) was first a film director in Poland, then in Italy, and later (as Michael Waszynski) a producer of major American films, mainly in Spain. Known for his elegance and impeccable man ...

(Poland, 1938, based on the play ''Maman Colibri'') *''La Vierge folle'', directed by Henri Diamant-Berger (France, 1938, based on the play ''La Vierge folle'') *''Imprudencia'', directed by

Julián Soler Julián Soler (born Julián Díaz Pavia; 17 February 1907 – 5 May 1977) was a Mexican film director, actor, and screenwriter of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. In his career spanning half a century, Soler received two Ariel Award nominations ...

(Mexico, 1944, based on the play ''Le Scandale'') *''L'Enfant de l'amour'', directed by Jean Stelli (France, 1944, based on the play ''L'Enfant de l'amour'') *''La Femme nue'', directed by André Berthomieu (France, 1949, based on the play ''La Femme nue'')

Notes

References

*"Bataille, (Félix) Henri". Retrieved 17 April 2009 from ''Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia'' database, EBSCOhost *"Bataille, Félix Henry". ''

Encyclopedia Americana ''Encyclopedia Americana'' is a general encyclopedia written in American English. It was the first major multivolume encyclopedia that was published in the United States. With ''Collier's Encyclopedia'' and ''Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclo ...

''. Grolier Onlin

*Buss, Robin. "Baitaille, Henry". ''Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia''. 2009. Grolier Onlin

*"Henry Bataille". In ''

Encyclopædia Britannica The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various time ...

''. Retrieved 17 April 2009, from Encyclopædia Britannica Onlin

External links

* __NOTOC__ 1872 births 1922 deaths People from Nîmes 19th-century French dramatists and playwrights 20th-century French dramatists and playwrights Académie Julian alumni 19th-century French poets {{France-poet-stub