Jean-François Marmontel, born in 1723 at Bort-les-Orgues, established himself as a central figure in eighteenth-century French letters through his contributions to the Encyclopédie and his management of the official journal Le Mercure. His career spanned tragedy, comic opera, and historical analysis, reflecting the intellectual climate of Paris under the patronage of Madame de Pompadour.
Early Career and Literary Ambitions
Educated by Jesuits at Mauriac and Clermont-Ferrand, Marmontel moved to Paris in 1745 following the guidance of Voltaire. His initial focus remained on the stage, where he produced a series of tragedies including Denys le Tyran in 1748, Aristomène in 1749, and Cleopâtre in 1750. While these works provided him access to fashionable salons, his later reputation grew from his involvement with the Encyclopédistes and his critical essays on literature.
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In 1753, Marmontel secured employment with the Bâtiments du Roi, eventually becoming a prominent public intellectual. He was elected to the Académie française in 1763, where he later served as perpetual secretary from 1783 until 1799. His government roles included acting as the historiographer of France starting in 1772, and in his final years, he held a position in the Council of Elders after his election in 1797.
Controversy and Historical Inquiry
Marmontel often navigated the boundaries of religious and political censorship. His 1767 publication Bélisaire drew sharp rebukes from the Sorbonne and the archbishop of Paris due to a chapter advocating for religious tolerance. He responded in 1777 with Les Incas, ou la destruction de l'empire du Perou, a work that linked Spanish colonial atrocities to religious fanaticism. During the French Revolution, he retreated to Saint-Aubin-sur-Gaillon, where he composed his Mémoires d'un père.
Musical Collaborations
His engagement with music involved active participation in the Gluck–Piccinni controversy as an advocate for Piccinni. This partnership yielded several stage productions, notably Roland in 1778, Atys in 1779, Didon in 1783, and Penelope in 1785. He also collaborated on various comic operas, including Sylvain and Zémire et Azore, working with composers such as André Grétry.
Fast facts
- Born: 1723, Bort-les-Orgues
- Died: 1799, Saint-Aubin-sur-Gaillon
- Académie française member: 1763-1799
- Historiographer of France: 1772
- Perpetual secretary of the French Academy: 1783-1799
- Notable work: Contes moraux
- Membership: Les Neuf Sœurs
Questions readers ask
What led to the censorship of his work Bélisaire?
The Sorbonne and the archbishop of Paris objected to his chapter promoting religious toleration.
What is the subject of his Memoires d'un père?
Written while in exile at Abloville, it provides a literary history of two reigns and a gallery of portraits of contemporaries.
