About
Léon Bloy (1846-1917) was a French writer born in Notre-Dame-de-Sanilhac. Converted to Catholicism in 1868-1869 under the influence of Jules Barbey d'Aurevilly, he became a figure of the Catholic revival and the Decadent movement. His novels, such as Le Désespéré (1887) and La Femme pauvre (1897), express a mystical theology of suffering and poverty. A prolific pamphleteer, he also authored a monumental eight-volume Journal (1892-1917). He influenced writers such as Graham Greene and Jorge Luis Borges.
* 1846-07-11 — † 1917-11-03
Major works
- Le Désespéré (1887)novel
- La Femme pauvre (1897)novel
- Le Salut par les Juifs (1892)essay
- Exégèse des lieux communs (1902)essay
- Journal (1892)diary
Key milestones
- 1868Conversion to Catholicism under the influence of Jules Barbey d'Aurevilly.
- 1887Publication of his major novel Le Désespéré.
- 1917Death in Bourg-la-Reine.
Themes
CatholicismSufferingPovertyRedemptionMysticism
Sources: britannica.com · oxfordreference.com · snaccooperative.org