Yves Jean Bonnefoy (24 June 1923,

Tours Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Indre-et-Loire. The Communes of France, commune of Tours had 136,463 ...

– 1 July 2016

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 ...

) was a French

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...

and

art historian Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...

. He also published a number of translations, most notably the plays of

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

which are considered among the best in French. He was professor at the

Collège de France The Collège de France (), formerly known as the ''Collège Royal'' or as the ''Collège impérial'' founded in 1530 by François I, is a higher education and research establishment ('' grand établissement'') in France. It is located in Paris n ...

from 1981 to 1993 and is the author of several works on art,

art history Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...

, and artists including Miró and

Giacometti Alberto Giacometti (, , ; 10 October 1901 – 11 January 1966) was a Swiss sculptor, painter, Drafter, draftsman and Printmaking, printmaker. Beginning in 1922, he lived and worked mainly in Paris but regularly visited his hometown Borgonovo, ...

, and a monograph on Paris-based Iranian artist Farhad Ostovani. ''

The Encyclopædia Britannica ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

'' states that Bonnefoy was ″perhaps the most important French poet of the latter half of the 20th century.″The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica (updated 3 July 2016)

Life and career

Bonnefoy was born in

Indre-et-Loire Indre-et-Loire () is a department in west-central France named after the Indre River and Loire River The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it ...

, the son of Marius Elie Bonnefoy, a railroad worker, and Hélène Maury, a teacher. He studied

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

and

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

at the Universities of Poitiers and the

Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...

in Paris. After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

he travelled in Europe and the United States and studied art history. From 1945 to 1947 he was associated with the

Surrealists Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to l ...

in Paris (a short-lived influence that is at its strongest in his first published work, ''Traité du pianiste'' (1946)). But it was with the highly personal ' (''On the Motion and Immobility of Douve'', 1953) that Bonnefoy found his voice and that his name first came to public notice.Shusha Guppy, "Yves Bonnefoy, The Art of Poetry No. 69"
''The Paris Review''. Retrieved 1 June 2013. Bonnefoy's style is remarkable for the deceptive simplicity of its vocabulary. Bonnefoy's work has been translated into English by, among others, Emily Grosholz,

Galway Kinnell Galway Mills Kinnell (February 1, 1927 – October 28, 2014) was an American poet. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his 1982 collection, ''Selected Poems'' and split the National Book Award for Poetry with Charles Wright. From 1989 to 1 ...

, John Naughton, Alan Baker, Hoyt Rogers, Antony Rudolf,

Beverley Bie Brahic Beverley Bie Brahic is a Canadian poet and translator who lives in Paris, France and the San Francisco Bay Area. Her poetry collection, ''White Sheets'', was a finalist for the Forward Prizand a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. Her translations ...

and Richard Stamelmann. In 1967 he joined with André du Bouchet,

Gaëtan Picon Gaëtan Picon (19 September 1915 – 6 August 1976) was a French author: essayist, art and literature critic, and art and literature historian. He was director of the ''Mercure de France'' and Director-General of Arts and Letters under André Malrau ...

, and

Louis-René des Forêts Louis-René des Forêts (January 28, 1918 – December 31, 2001) was a French writer. Life Des Forêts's only novel, ''The Beggars'' (''Les Mendiants'') was published by Éditions Gallimard in 1943.The rest of his works include shorter narrative ...

to found '' L'éphémère'', a journal of art and

literature Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...

. Commenting on his work, Bonnefoy has said: He taught literature at a number of universities in Europe and in the USA:

Brandeis University , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , pro ...

, Waltham, Massachusetts (1962–64); Centre Universitaire, Vincennes (1969–1970);

Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...

, Baltimore; Princeton University, New Jersey; University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut;

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

, New Haven, Connecticut;

University of Geneva The University of Geneva (French: ''Université de Genève'') is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin as a theological seminary. It remained focused on theology until the 17th centu ...

;

University of Nice A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

(1973–1976);

University of Provence The University of Provence Aix-Marseille I (french: Université de Provence) was a public research university mostly located in Aix-en-Provence and Marseille. It was one of the three Universities of Aix-Marseille and was part of the Academy of ...

, Aix (1979–1981); and Graduate Center,

City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven Upper divis ...

, where he was made an honorary member of the Academy of the Humanities and Sciences. In 1981, following the death of

Roland Barthes Roland Gérard Barthes (; ; 12 November 1915 – 26 March 1980) was a French literary theorist, essayist, philosopher, critic, and semiotician. His work engaged in the analysis of a variety of sign systems, mainly derived from Western popular ...

, he was given the chair of comparative study of poetry at the

. Bonnefoy continued to work closely with painters throughout his career and wrote prefaces for artists’ books, including those by his friend Miklos Bokor. Bonnefoy died on 1 July 2016 at the age of 93 in Paris. President

François Hollande François Gérard Georges Nicolas Hollande (; born 12 August 1954) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2012 to 2017. He previously was First Secretary of the Socialist Party (PS) from 1997 to 2008, Mayor of Tulle from ...

stated of Bonnefoy on his death that he would be remembered for "elevating our language to its supreme degree of precision and beauty".

Awards and honours

Bonnefoy was honoured with a number of prizes throughout his creative life. Early on he was awarded the ''Prix des Critiques'' in 1971. Ten years later, in 1981,

The French Academy ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

gave him its grand prize, which was soon followed by the Goncourt Prize for Poetry in 1987. Over the next 15 years, Bonnefoy was awarded both the

Prix mondial Cino Del Duca The Prix mondial Cino Del Duca (Cino Del Duca World Prize) is an international literary award. With an award amount of , it is among the richest literary prizes. Origins and operations It was established in 1969 in France by Simone Del Duca (191 ...

and the Balzan Prize (for Art History and Art Criticism in Europe) in 1995, the Golden Wreath of Struga Poetry Evenings in 1999, and the Grand Prize of the First

Masaoka Shiki International Haiku Awards The Masaoka Shiki International Haiku Awards, named after the founder of modern Japanese haiku, were established on the principles set forth in the Matsuyama Declaration, adopted at the Shimanamikaido '99 Haiku Convention in Matsuyama held in Sept ...

in 2000. Toward the final years of his life, Bonnefoy was recognized with the

Franz Kafka Prize The Franz Kafka Prize is an international literary award presented in honour of Franz Kafka, the Jewish, Bohemian, German-language novelist. The prize was first awarded in 2001 and is co-sponsored by the Franz Kafka Society and the city of Prag ...

in 2007 and, in 2011, he received the Griffin Lifetime Recognition Award, presented by the trustees of the

Griffin Poetry Prize The Griffin Poetry Prize is Canada's most generous poetry award. It was founded in 2000 by businessman and philanthropist Scott Griffin. Before 2022, the awards went to one Canadian and one international poet who writes in the English language. ...

. In 2014, he was co-winner of the Janus Pannonius International Poetry Prize. He won the 2015 International Nonino Prize in Italy.

Selected works in English translation

*1968: ''On the Motion and Immobility of Douve''. Translated by

. (

Ohio University Press Ohio University Press (OUP), founded in 1947, is the oldest and largest scholarly press in the state of Ohio. It is a department of Ohio University that publishes under its own name and the imprint Swallow Press. History The press publishes ap ...

: ASIN: B000ILHLXA) – poetry *1985: ''Poems: 1959-1975''. Translated by

Richard Pevear Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky are literary translators best known for their collaborative English translations of classic Russian literature. Individually, Pevear has also translated into English works from French, Italian, and Greek. The ...

. (Random House: ) – poetry *1991: ''In the Shadow's Light''. Translated by John Naughton. (

University of Chicago Press The University of Chicago Press is the largest and one of the oldest university presses in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including ''The Chicago Manual of Style'', ...

: 9780226064482) – poetry *1991: ''Mythologies'' Volumes Compiled by Yves Bonnefoy. Edited by

Wendy Doniger Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty (born November 20, 1940) is an American Indologist whose professional career has spanned five decades. A scholar of Sanskrit and Indian textual traditions, her major works include, 'The Hindus: an alternative history'; ' ...

. (University of Chicago Press, ) a restructured translation of ''Dictionnaire des mythologies et des religions des sociétés traditionelles et du monde antique'' ("Dictionary of Mythologies and Religions of Traditional Societies and the Ancient World"). Compiled by Yves Bonnefoy and prepared under the direction of Wendy Doniger; translated by Gerald Honigsblum nd others/ref> *1993: ''Alberto Giacometti: A Biography of His Work''. (

Flammarion Flammarion may refer to: * Camille Flammarion (1842–1925), French astronomer and author * Gabrielle Renaudot Flammarion (1877–1962), French astronomer, wife of Camille Flammarion * Flammarion engraving by unknown artist; appeared in a book by C ...

: ) – art criticism *1995: ''The Lure and the Truth of Painting: Selected Essays on Art''. (University of Chicago Press, ) – art criticism *2004: ''Shakespeare and the French Poet''. – essays on the role of the translator. (University of Chicago Press: ) *2007: ''The Curved Planks''. Translated by Hoyt Rogers. (

Farrar, Straus and Giroux Farrar, Straus and Giroux (FSG) is an American book publishing company, founded in 1946 by Roger Williams Straus Jr. and John C. Farrar. FSG is known for publishing literary books, and its authors have won numerous awards, including Pulitzer ...

: ). – poetry *2011: ''Second Simplicity: New Poetry and Prose, 1991-2011''. Selected, translated, and with an introduction by Hoyt Rogers. (

Yale University Press Yale University Press is the university press of Yale University. It was founded in 1908 by George Parmly Day, and became an official department of Yale University in 1961, but it remains financially and operationally autonomous. , Yale Universi ...

: ). – poetry *2012: ''Beginning and End of the Snow'' ollowed by ''Where the Arrow Falls'' Translated by Emily Grosholz. (

Bucknell University Press Bucknell University is a private liberal arts college in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1846 as the University at Lewisburg, it now consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, Freeman College of Management, and the College of Engineering. ...

: ) – poetry *2013: ''The Present Hour''; with an Introduction by

. (

Seagull Books Seagull Books is a publishing venture begun in Kolkata in 1982 by Naveen Kishore, a theater practitioner. It began primarily as a response to the growing need for an Indian publishing house for theater and the other arts and since then it has ...

: ) – poetry *2014: ''The Digamma''; with an introduction by Hoyt Rogers. Translated by Hoyt Rogers. (

: ). – poetry *2015: ''The Anchor's Long Chain''; with an Introduction by Beverley Bie Brahic. (Seagull Books: ) – includes both poems and short stories *2017: ''Together Still'' ollowed by ''Perambulans in Noctem'' with an afterword by Hoyt Rogers. Translated by Hoyt Rogers with Mathilde Bonnefoy. (

: ). – poetry

Notes

References

External links

*
French Poetry since 1950: Tendencies I, by Jean-Michel Maulpoix, translated by Catherine Wieder

Griffin Lifetime Recognition Award 2011 tribute (including video)

Laurea Honoris Causa, Teoria e Prassi della Traduzione, Università di Napoli "L'Orientale" (video)

A Memorial Dossier honoring Yves Bonnefoy
with contributions from Hoyt Rogers and Anthony Rudolf {{DEFAULTSORT:Bonnefoy, Yves 1923 births 2016 deaths Artists from Tours, France 20th-century French poets University of Poitiers alumni University of Paris alumni Brandeis University faculty Johns Hopkins University faculty Yale University faculty Princeton University faculty Côte d'Azur University faculty Collège de France faculty University of Geneva faculty City University of New York faculty The New Yorker people Prix Goncourt de la Poésie winners Struga Poetry Evenings Golden Wreath laureates University of Provence faculty Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 21st-century French poets 21st-century French male writers French male poets Translators of William Shakespeare