Captain Fracass. Goutier T.

The novel “Captain Fracass” is the most popular historical and adventure composition of the French writer Theophilus Gauthier (1811-1872). At the beginning of his literary activity, he managed to become famous as a talented poet. The first collection of his verses came out when Gautier was only nineteen. At that time, Theophilia was part of a narrow circle of French romantic poets who said to themselves that they "live with poetry, breakfasting ode and dining the ballad." Many of them sinned by the high part and some exalness of their poems, while Gauthier was characterized by simplicity and poetry. In addition, he was particularly artistic in the decoration of his lines. No wonder Bodler, who dedicated his famous collection “Flowers of Evil”, he called the theophilus “the wizard of French literature” in him. The special skill of working with the word was distinguished by the prose of Gauthier.

From under his pen came the descriptions of his own numerous travels, a libretto of ballets, brilliant critical articles and hundreds of feuilletons, which had to be written simply for the sake of earnings. The Captain Fracass stands in the long list of works by Gauthier a little apart. The writer worked on this novel with great pleasure, grinding, as in his poetry, every line of it. As a result, a masterpiece appeared - an exciting novel about love, fights and adventures of wandering comedians. Reviewed, and later filmed “Captain Fracass” repeatedly.

The famous novel in this edition decorates the magnificent drawings of one of the most talented illustrators of the 19th century. - Gustava Dorea. He was well acquainted with Gauthier. The writer, being a man of broadest erudition, became the chairman of the National Society of Fine Arts in 1862, whose member was Dore. A year later, Gauthier finished writing Captain Fracass. The novel was published in 1863, and was perfectly accepted by the public. Only two fomers passed, and the publishers have already begun to plan a new edition of Captain Frakass. When the drawings for him in 1866 were offered to make Dore, he happily agreed. By this time, he had already illustrated the “divine comedy” of Dante, the “storm” of Shakespeare, “Don Quixote” by Cervantes and another dozen of large literary works and perfectly understood that “Captain Fracass” gives him the widest field for creativity. In addition, Dorea was already collaborating with Gauthier, decorating his translation into the French "Adventures of Baron Munchausen."

The drawings made by Dore to the Captain Thracass are still the best illustrations for this novel.