Life
Early years
Jean-Claude Pirotte was born inFirst career choice
Pirotte's first "official" publication was of a book of poetry entitled 'Goût de cendre' (''Taste of cinders''), published in 1963. Contrary to the expectations of some who knew him at the time, he studied law, however, and pursued a lucrative career as a lawyer between 1964 and 1975, practicing as a successful advocate at theSecond career choice
He nevertheless resisted any temptation to return to his career as a lawyer, explaining that his clash with the judiciary had given him an opportunity to escape, and the magistrates who had sentenced him to a prison had in a sense done him a favour, because they had given him the opening to live an unconventional live-style. Instead of the law, he devoted the balance of his life to literature and poetry, publishing nearly fifty books, substantial articles, and poems. He was also a painter and applied this talent to illustrating several books.Growing public profile
Commentators on French language Belgian literature started to notice Pirotte towards the end of the 1980s. His novel "Sarah feuille morte" (1989) drew attention, as did "La pluie à Rethel", a novel originally published in 1982 and then reissued in 2001 and again in 2002. Pirotte was a lover of literature in both French and Flemish/Dutch. An eloquent admirer of writers such asFinal decades
Between 1998 and 2002 Pirotte settled near Carcassonne, where he created a literary prize named after the wines of his adopted region, "prix littéraire Cabardès". As a further tribute to the locality he became the "director" of a literary series entitled "Lettres du Cabardès" which was produced by the publishing house Le Temps qu'il fait. During his later years Pirotte lived with the translator and fellow author Sylvie Doizelet in theRecognition
With supporters from the literary establishment that includedAwards (not a complete list)
* 1963 Franz de Wever prize * 1986 Victor Rossel Prize for ''Un été dans la combe'' * 1993 Grand Prix de Poésie du Mont-Saint-Michel (now renamed, Grand Prix International de Poésie Guillevic-Ville de Saint-Malo) * 2002 Marguerite-Duras Prize for ''Autres arpents'' * 2006 Prize of Les Deux Magots for ''References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pirotte, Jean-Claude Belgian male poets Belgian poets in French 20th-century Belgian painters 21st-century Belgian painters People from Namur (city) Walloon movement activists 20th-century Belgian lawyers Prix des Deux Magots winners Prix Valery Larbaud winners 1939 births 2014 deaths 20th-century Belgian poets 21st-century Belgian writers 20th-century Belgian male writers Prix Guillaume Apollinaire winners