About
Alphonse Allais (1854-1905) was a French writer and humorist, a key figure at the Parisian cabaret Le Chat Noir. He published about 1,600 newspaper pieces, collected in twelve volumes titled Œuvres Anthumes. A precursor of conceptual art, he exhibited monochromes at the Arts Incohérents and composed a silent funeral march in 1897. His absurd humor influenced Surrealism and Oulipo.
* 1854-10-20 — † 1905-10-28
Major works
- À se tordre (1891)short story collection
- Deux et deux font cinq (1895)short story collection
- Album primo-avrilesque (1897)illustrated album
- L'Affaire Blaireau (1899)novel
- Le Captain Cap (1902)short story collection
Key milestones
- 1883Exhibited a white monochrome at the Salon des Arts Incohérents.
- 1897Composed the Funeral March for the Obsequies of a Great Deaf Man, a silent score of 24 measures.
- 1954Creation of the Prix Alphonse-Allais, awarded annually by the Académie Alphonse-Allais.
Themes
absurd humorsocial satireartistic experimentationprecursor to surrealismBelle Époque
Sources: oxfordreference.com · gallica.bnf.fr