Jean-Baptiste Gaut

Jean-Baptiste Gaut (1819–1891) was a French Provençal poet and playwright from Aix-en-Provence. He was a chief advocate of the Provençal language and the Félibrige movement. He was known as "Félibre Gaut."[1]

Jean-Baptiste Gaut
BornApril 2, 1819
Aix-en-Provence, France
DiedJuly 14, 1891
Aix-en-Provence, France
OccupationPoet, newspaper editor, library director
Spouse(s)Marie-Nathalie Simon
Children1 son, 2 daughters
Parent(s)Jean-Joseph Gaut
Marguerite-Bastienne Berthon

Early life

Jean-Baptiste Gaut was born on April 2, 1819 in Aix-en-Provence, France.[1][2] His father, Jean-Joseph Gaut, was an arquebus manufacturer. His mother, Marguerite Bastienne Berthon, was the daughter of armourer Jean Berthon.[2]

Career

Gaut was encouraged to write poetry in Provençal by a friend, Joseph Desanat.[1] He first wrote poetry for Lou Bouil-Abaïsso, a literary journal started by Desanat.[1] In 1852, Gaut was a co-author in a collection of poems in Provençal with Joseph Roumanille.[1] That same year, they organised a conference to promote Provençal poetry in Arles, followed by a similar conference a year later, in 1853.[1] Those conferences were the precursors to the Félibrige movement, founded in 1854 by Roumanille and Frédéric Mistral.[1] Meanwhile, Gaut founded Le Gay-Saber, a Provençal literary review, which only published 17 issues.[1][2] Later, he published poetry in Armana Prouvençau.[2]

Beyond poetry, Gaut wrote two plays in Provençal.[2] His first play, Lei Mourou, was performed in Forcalquier in 1875.[2] He went on to write two opéra comiques, which were performed in Sorgues en 1881.[2]

Gaut was active in Aix-en-Provence. He served as the editor-in-chief of Le Mémorial d'Aix, a bi-weekly newspaper in Aix.[3] He served as the Director of the Bibliothèque Méjanes from 1878 to 1891.[3]

Personal life

Gaut married Marie-Nathalie Simon.[2] They have three children: Jeanne-Marguerite Gaut (born 1861); Pauline Gaut (born 1866); and Jean Gaut (born 1871).[2]

Death

He died on July 14, 1891 in Aix-en-Provence.[1]

Legacy
  • The Rue du Felibre Gaut in Aix-en-Provence is named in his honour.[1]
  • The Allée Jean-Baptiste Gaut in Sausset-les-Pins as well as the Rue Jean-Baptiste Gaut in Velaux are also named in his honour.[4]

Bibliography

Poetry
  • Sounet, souneto e sounaio (poems, 1874).

Plays
  • Lei Mourou (1875).
  • La bèn-vengudo (1887).

Opera comique
  • Lou mau d'amour (1881).
  • Blanco-flour de Vau-Claro o L'amour enrabia (1881).

References
  1. Emma Robert, Le Félibre Gaut, histoire d’un héros provençal, L'Express, Archives 2013/2014
  2. Aix-en-Provence Historical Society: Jean-Baptiste GAUT (1819 - 1891): "Le Félibre"
  3. Jean-Baptiste Gaut (1819-1891), Bibliothèque nationale de France
  4. Google Map
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