About
Thomas Corneille, younger brother of Pierre Corneille, was a prolific playwright of the French classical era. Author of about 42 plays, he achieved great success with Timocrate (1656), which ran for 80 consecutive performances. He collaborated with Donneau de Visé on La Devineresse (1679), a play that earned a record sum. A member of the Académie française and the Académie des inscriptions, he also distinguished himself as a lexicographer, publishing the Dictionnaire des Arts et des Sciences (1694) and a translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses (1697). Having lost his sight in 1704, he continued working until his death in 1709.
* 1625-08-20 — † 1709-12-08
Major works
- Timocrate (1656)tragedy
- La Devineresse (1679)comedy
- Dictionnaire des Arts et des Sciences (1694)dictionary
- Les Métamorphoses d'Ovide (1697)translation
- Dictionnaire universel géographique et historique (1708)dictionary
Key milestones
- 1656Timocrate enjoys the longest run of performances in the 17th century (80 consecutive evenings).
- 1694Publication of the Dictionnaire des Arts et des Sciences, a major encyclopedic work.
- 1704Loses his sight but continues to work, publishing a universal dictionary in 1708.
Themes
theaterlexicographytranslationpopular successfraternal collaboration
Sources: data.bnf.fr · britannica.com · larousse.fr