Sibylle Aimée Marie-Antoinette Gabrielle de Riquetti de Mirabeau, Comtesse de Martel de Janville (16 August 1849 – 28 June 1932) was a French writer who wrote under the
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
Gyp.
Life
She was born at the château de Coëtsal near
Plumergat, in the ''
département
In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level ("territorial collectivity, territorial collectivities"), between the regions of France, admin ...
'' of the
Morbihan
Morbihan ( , ; br, Mor-Bihan ) is a department in the administrative region of Brittany, situated in the northwest of France. It is named after the Morbihan (''small sea'' in Breton), the enclosed sea that is the principal feature of the coastli ...
, in
Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
, her father, Joseph-Arundel de Riquetti, comte de Mirabeau, 1820–1860, being the great-grandson of
Victor de Riquetti, marquis de Mirabeau (''Mirabeau Père''), noted 18th-century economist, and grandnephew of
Honoré Mirabeau
Honoré is a name of French origin and may refer to several people or places:
Given name
Sovereigns of Monaco
Lords of Monaco
* Honoré I of Monaco
Princes of Monaco
* Honoré II of Monaco
* Honoré III of Monaco
* Honoré IV of Monaco
* Honorà ...
the celebrated revolutionary orator. In view of her later opinions, it is interesting to remember that Sibylle was actually descended from Octave Mirabeau's royalist younger brother,
André-Boniface-Louis de Riquetti, vicomte de Mirabeau, (1754–1792) known as ''Mirabeau-Tonneau'' because of his notorious ''embonpoint'', who famously broke his sword in front of
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
's Revolutionary Assembly (where he represented the nobility of the
Limousin
Limousin (; oc, Lemosin ) is a former administrative region of southwest-central France. On 1 January 2016, it became part of the new administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It comprised three departments: Corrèze, Creuse, and Haute-Vienn ...
) while bitterly crying out: "now that The King is giving up his kingdom, a nobleman no longer needs a sword to fight for him!"
Although, in her memoirs, "Gyp" stated that she had been born on August 15, which happens to have been
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
's birthday, her birth certificate reads "morning of August 16, 1849", according to her biographer, W. Z. Silvermann. At her father's request, the name on her birth certificate was revised to read "Sibylle Aimée Marie Antoinette Gabrielle".
Sibylle's mother, the comtesse de Mirabeau, née de Gonneville (1827–1903) was also a writer, who contributed to
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 ...
. In 1869, Sibylle married count Roger de Martel de Janville, by whom she had three children.
Gyp wrote humorous sketches and novels which brazenly denounced her own fashionable society as well as the French republic's political class. She hated republicanism, populist democracy, and party shenanigans; supported
Boulanger; and was a fanatical
anti-Semite
Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism.
Antis ...
&
anti-Dreyfusard; in fact, while testifying at a court case in 1899 she gave her profession as "anti-Semite" rather than "writer". She began with some articles in ''La Vie parisienne'' in February 1877, then in ''
La Revue des Deux Mondes
The ''Revue des deux Mondes'' (, ''Review of the Two Worlds'') is a monthly French-language literary, cultural and current affairs magazine that has been published in Paris since 1829.
According to its website, "it is today the place for debates a ...
''. Starting in 1880, she began to publish in book form, under the pseudonym of Gyp, a total of more than 120 works, many highly successful: ''Petit Bob'', (1882), ''Les Chasseurs'', ''Un trio turbulent'', ''Autour du mariage'' (1883), ''Ce que femme veut'' (1883), ''Sans voiles'' (1885), ''Autour du divorce'' (1886), ''Dans le train'' (1886), ''Mademoiselle Loulou'' (1888), ''Bob au salon'' (1889), ''L'éducation d'un prince'' (1890), ''Passionette'' (1891), ''Oh! la grande vie'' (1891), ''Une Election à Tigre-sur-mer'' (1890), based on Gyp's experience supporting a ''boulangiste'' candidate, ''Marriage civil'' (1892), ''Ces bons docteurs'' (1892) ''De haut en bas'' (1893), ''Le Mariage de Chiffon'' (1894), ''Leurs âmes'' (1895), ''Le Cœur d'Ariane'' (1895), ''Le Bonheur de Ginette'' (1896), ''Totote'' (1897), ''Lune de miel'' (1898), ''Israel'' (1898), ''L'Entrevue'' (1899), ''Le Pays des champs'' (1900), ''Trop de chic'' (1900), ''Le Friquet'' (1901), ''La Fée'' (1902), ''Un Mariage chic'' (1903), ''Un Ménage dernier cri'' (1903), ''Maman'' (1904), ''Le Cœur de Pierrette'' (1905), ''Les Flanchards'' (1917), ''Souvenirs d'une petite fille'' (1927–1928), etc.
Her best-known work is probably ''Le Mariage de Chiffon'', filmed in 1942 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 ...
.
Because of her unpopular opinions, the ''comtesse'' was the victim of several attempts on her life as well as of a sensational kidnapping.
Gyp, self-styled "last of the Mirabeaus", died at
Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine (; literally 'Neuilly on Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is a commune in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in France, just west of Paris. Immediately adjacent to the city, the area is composed of mostly select residentia ...
on 28 June 1932.
Works
* ''La Vertu de la baronne'', Calmann-Lévy, 1882
* ''Petit Bob'', Calmann-Lévy, 1882
* ''Ce que femme veut'', Calmann-Lévy, 1883
* ''Un homme délicat'', Calmann-Lévy, 1884
* ''Le Monde à côté'', Calmann-Lévy, 1884
* ''Plume et Poil'', Calmann-Lévy, 1884
* ''Elle et lui'', Calmann-Lévy, 1885
* ''Sans voiles !'', Calmann-Lévy, 1885
* ''Le Druide, roman parisien'', Victor-Havard, 1885
* ''Le Plus heureux de tous'', 1885
* ''Autour du divorce'', Calmann-Lévy, 1886
* ''Dans l'train'', Victor-Havard, 1886
* ''Joies conjugales'', Calmann-Lévy, 1887
* ''Pour ne pas l'être ?'', Calmann-Lévy, 1887
* ''Les Chasseurs'', Calmann-Lévy, 1887
* ''Mademoiselle Loulou'', Calmann-Lévy, 1888
* ''Petit Bleu'', Calmann-Lévy, 1888
* ''Bob au salon'', Calmann-Lévy, 1888
* ''Pauvres petites femmes'', Calmann-Lévy, 1888
* ''Les Séducteurs'', Calmann-Lévy, 1888
* ''Bob à l'exposition'', Calmann-Lévy, 1889
* ''Ohé, les psychologues!'', Calmann-Lévy, 1889
* ''Mademoiselle Ève'', Calmann-Lévy, 1889
* ''Une élection à Tigre-sur-Mer, racontée par Bob'', 1890
* ''L'Éducation d'un prince'', Calmann-Lévy, 1890
* ''Ô province !'', Calmann-Lévy, 1890
* ''Ohé, la grande vie !'', Calmann-Lévy, 1891
* ''Un raté'', Calmann-Lévy, 1891 (également publié sous forme de
roman-feuilleton
A ''feuilleton'' (; a diminutive of french: feuillet, the leaf of a book) was originally a kind of supplement attached to the political portion of French newspapers, consisting chiefly of non-political news and gossip, literature and art criti ...
dans ''
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 ...
'' du 8 janvier 1891 au 10 février 1891)
* ''Une passionnette'', Calmann-Lévy, 1891
* ''Monsieur Fred'', Calmann-Lévy, 1891
* ''Mariage civil'', Calmann-Lévy, 1892
* ''Tante Joujou'', Calmann-Lévy, 1892
* ''Monsieur le duc'', Calmann-Lévy, 1892
* ''Madame la duchesse'', Calmann-Lévy, 1893
* ''Pas jalouse'', Calmann-Lévy, 1893
* ''Le Treizième'', Calmann-Lévy, 1894
* ''Du haut en bas'',
Charpentier
Charpentier () is the French language, French word for "carpenter", and it is also a French surname; a variant spelling is Carpentier. In English, the equivalent word and name is "Carpenter (surname), Carpenter"; in German, "Zimmermann (disambigua ...
et
Fasquelle, 1894
* ''Le Journal d'un philosophe'', Charpentier et Fasquelle, 1894
* ''
Le Mariage de Chiffon'', Calmann-Lévy, 1894
* ''Professional Lover'', Calmann-Lévy, 1894
* ''Le Cœur d'Ariane'', Calmann-Lévy, 1895
* ''Ces bons Normands'', Calmann-Lévy, 1895
* ''Leurs âmes'', Calmann-Lévy, 1895
* ''Les Gens chics'', Charpentier et Fasquelle, 1895
* ''
Bijou
Bijou is a French word meaning ''jewel'', often loosely applied to buildings to mean small and elegant. It may also refer to:
Buildings
* Bijou Palace, also known as the Al-Gawhara Palace, a palace in Cairo, Egypt
* Bijou Theatre (Manhattan), two ...
'', Calmann-Lévy, 1896
* ''Ohé, les dirigeants!'', Léon Chailley, 1896
* ''Le Bonheur de Ginette'', Calmann-Lévy, 1896
* ''Eux et elle'', Calmann-Lévy, 1896
* ''Le Baron Sinaï'', Charpentier et Fasquelle, 1897
* ''La Fée Surprise'', Calmann-Lévy, 1897
* ''En balade: images coloriées du petit Bob'', Mongredien, 1897
* ''Joie d'amour'', Calmann-Lévy, 1897
* ''Totote : roman inédit'', agrémenté de photos de
Paul Sescau
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
* Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
,
Librairie Nilsson, 1897
* ''Ces bons docteurs ! '', Calmann-Lévy, 1898
* ''Israël'', Flammarion, 1898
* ''Miquette'', Calmann-Lévy, 1898
* ''Journal d'un grinchu'', Flammarion, 1898
* ''Sportmanomanie'', Calmann-Lévy, 1898
* ''Lune de miel'', Calmann-Lévy, 1898
* ''Les Femmes du colonel'', Flammarion, 1899
* ''Les Izolâtres'',
Juven
Juven is a medical food that is manufactured by Abbott Laboratories and used to provide nutritional support under the care of a physician in individuals with muscle wasting due to AIDS or cancer, to promote wound healing following surgery or inju ...
, 1899
* ''Les Cayenne de Rio'', Flammarion, 1899
* ''L'Entrevue'', Librairie Nilsson, 1899
* ''Monsieur de Folleuil'', Calmann-Lévy, 1899
* ''Balancez vos dames'', Librairie Nilsson, 1900
* ''Trop de chic !'', Calmann-Lévy, 1900
* ''Journal d'une qui s'en fiche'', Juven, 1900
* ''Martinette'', Librairie Nilsson, 1900
* ''Jacquette et Zouzou'', Flammarion, 1901
* ''Friquet'', Flammarion, 1901
* ''Un mariage chic'', Flammarion, 1902
* ''La Fée'', Librairie Nilsson, 1902
* ''L'Âge du mufle'', Juven, 1902
* ''Les Amoureux'', Juven, 1902
* ''Les Chapons'', Juven, 1902
* ''SÅ“urette'', Juven, 1902
* ''Les Chéris'', Juven, 1903
* ''Les Petits Amis'', Juven, 1903
* ''Un ménage dernier cri'', Flammarion, 1903
* ''Cloclo'', Flammarion, 1904
* ''Pervenche'', Juven, 1904
* ''Les Poires'', Juven, 1904
* ''Les Froussards'', Flammarion, 1904
* ''Maman'', Librairie Nilsson, 1904
* ''Geneviève'', Juven, 1905
* ''Le CÅ“ur de Pierrette'', Fayard, 1905
* ''Journal d'un casserolé'', Juven, 1905
* ''Le Cricri'', Juven, 1907
* ''L'Âge du toc'', Flammarion, 1907
* ''La Bonne Galette'', Fayard, 1907
* ''Doudou'', Librairie Nilsson, 1907
* ''La Paix des champs'', Juven, 1908
* ''La Bassinoire'', Flammarion, 1908
* ''La Chasse de Blanche, nouvelles'', Flammarion, 1909
* ''Entre la poire et le fromage'', Juven, 1909
* ''L’Amoureux de Line'', Flammarion, 1910
* ''Les Petits Joyeux'', Calmann-Lévy, 1911
* ''Totote'', Fayard, 1911
* ''L’Affaire Débrouillard-Delatamize'', Calmann-Lévy, 1911
* ''La Bonne Fortune de Toto'', Calmann-Lévy, 1911
* ''La Ginguette'', Flammarion, 1911.
* ''La Meilleure Amie'', Fayard, 1912
* ''Fraîcheur'', Calmann-Lévy, 1912
* ''Napoléonette'', Calmann-Lévy, 1913
* ''La Dame de Saint-Leu'', Calmann-Lévy, 1914
* ''La Petite Pintade bleue'', Calmann-Lévy, 1914
* ''Les Flanchards'', 1917
* ''Les Profitards'', Fayard, 1918
* ''L’Amour aux champs'', 1920
* ''Souricette'', Calmann-Lévy, 1922
* ''Le Coup du lapin'', 1929
* ''Du temps des cheveux et des chevaux'', Calmann-Lévy, 1929
* ''Celui qu'on aime'', Flammarion, 1931
* ''Le Chambard'', Le Livre moderne illustré, Ferenczi & fils, 1931
* ''Doudou'', 2de édition 1931
* ''La Joyeuse Enfance de la III
e République'', Calmann-Lévy, 1931
Théâtre
* ''Autour du mariage'', Calmann-Lévy, 1883, comédie en cinq actes
* ''Tout-à -l'égout !'', Calmann-Lévy, 1889, petite revue en trois actes et un prologue représentée Ã
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
au Helder, le 10 janvier 1889
* ''Sauvetage'', pièce en un acte,
Théâtre d'Application, 1890
* ''Mademoiselle Ève'', 1895, adaptation pour le scène du roman éponyme
* ''Napoléonette'', pièce en cinq actes et un prologue, d'après le roman éponyme, représentée au théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt, le 29 mai 1919, parue dans
* ''
L'Illustration
''L'Illustration'' was a weekly French language, French newspaper published in Paris from 1843 to 1944. It was founded by Édouard Charton with the first issue published on 4 March 1843, it became the first illustrated newspaper in France then, a ...
'' en 1921
References
Further reading
*Silvermann, Willa Z. (1995) ''The Notorious Life of Gyp - Right-Wing Anarchist in Fin-de-Siècle France''. Oxford University Press,
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Riqueti de Mirabeau
1849 births
1932 deaths
19th-century French writers
19th-century French women writers
20th-century French writers
20th-century French women writers
French memoirists
French women novelists
Members of the Ligue de la patrie française
People from Morbihan
French women memoirists
19th-century memoirists