French poet (1880–1918) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Guillaume Apollinaire (French: [ɡijom apɔlinɛʁ], born Kostrowicki[a]; 26 August 1880 – 9 November 1918) was a French poet, playwright, short story writer, novelist, and art critic. He had Polish ancestry.
Guillaume Apollinaire | |
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Photograph of Guillaume Apollinaire in spring 1916 after a shrapnel wound to his temple | |
| Born | Wilhelm Albert Włodzimierz Apolinary Kostrowicki 26 August 1880 Rome, Italy |
| Died | 9 November 1918 (aged 38) Paris, France |
| Resting place | Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris |
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| Literary movement | Cubism, Surrealism, Orphism |
| Signature |  |
Apollinaire is one of the most important poets of the early 20th century. He defended Cubism and helped start Surrealism. He invented the words "Cubism"[1] in 1911, "Orphism" in 1912, and "Surrealism" in 1917.[2] Apollinaire wrote many early Surrealist works. One of these was the play The Breasts of Tiresias (1917). This play became the basis for Francis Poulenc's 1947 opera Les mamelles de Tirésias.
When Guillaume was young, he was influenced by Symbolist poetry. During his life, he was admired by the young poets who helped influence Surrealism. He was very original, and his work was not based on any theory.
Apollinaire was also a journalist and art critic for Le Matin, L'Intransigeant, L'Esprit nouveau, Mercure de France, and Paris Journal. In 1912, Apollinaire cofounded Les Soirées de Paris, an artistic and literary magazine.
Apollinaire was wounded in World War I. During the pandemic of 1918, Apollinaire died of the Spanish flu.[3]
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