The prose poems compiled in Le cornet à dés, published in 1917, established Max Jacob as a critical bridge between the symbolist and surrealist movements. Born in Quimper in 1876, he navigated a career spanning literature, visual arts, and literary criticism while maintaining a presence in the Parisian avant-garde during the early twentieth century.
Early Career and Parisian Circles
After completing his education at the École coloniale and the Paris Law Faculty, Jacob abandoned a traditional career in 1897 to pursue artistic endeavors. He became one of the first associates of Pablo Picasso in Paris, helping the artist learn the French language. During their time sharing a room on the Boulevard Voltaire, Jacob introduced Picasso to Guillaume Apollinaire. His expansive social circle included figures such as Jean Cocteau, Jean Hugo, Christopher Wood, and Amedeo Modigliani, the latter of whom painted his portrait in 1916.
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Jacob occupied multiple creative roles, working as a translator, illustrator, and painter alongside his writing. His literary portfolio includes the 1911 novel Saint Matorel, the 1919 religious work La défense de Tartuffe, and the free verse collection Le laboratoire central from 1921. His visual art earned recognition through exhibitions held in New York City in 1930 and 1938. Throughout his career, he operated under pseudonyms including Léon David and Morven le Gaëlique.
Religious Life and Final Years
In 1909, Jacob, who was born into a Jewish family, converted to the Catholic Church following a reported vision of Christ. He later relocated to Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire in 1936. Following the arrest of his brother Gaston and sister Myrthe-Lea by the Nazis, Jacob himself was apprehended by the Gestapo on 24 February 1944. He was interned at Orléans prison before being transferred to Drancy. He died in the infirmary at the Drancy internment camp on 5 March 1944. His remains were eventually moved to the cemetery at Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire in 1949.
Fast facts
- Born: 1876, Quimper
- Died: 1944, Drancy concentration camp
- Education: École coloniale, Paris Law Faculty
- Awards: Concours général (1894), Knight of the Legion of Honour (1933)
- Notable Works: Saint Matorel (1911), Le cornet à dés (1917)
- Languages: French, Catalan
- Movement: Cubism
- Status: mort pour la France
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of Jacob's 1909 conversion?
Jacob converted to Catholicism after claiming to have experienced a vision of Christ, partly in the hope of addressing his homosexual tendencies.
How did Jacob die?
After being interned by the Gestapo at Orléans and subsequently moved to the Drancy internment camp, he died of bronchial pneumonia in the camp infirmary.
Achievements
- Knight of the Legion of Honour — 1933
