Edmond de Goncourt

Edmond de Goncourt was born in Nancy, France, in 1822. Alongside his younger brother Jules, he formed one of the most famous literary partnerships of the 19th century, producing novels, art criticism, and the celebrated "Journal" that chronicled Parisian intellectual life. After Jules's death in 1870, Edmond continued writing alone, completing their unfinished works and publishing the landmark novel "Germinie Lacerteux" (1865), which drew on the true story of their servant's secret double life. The novel is considered a foundational text of Naturalism, influencing Emile Zola with its unflinching realism and clinical observation of poverty and hysteria. Edmond's literary legacy is secured by his will, which established the Académie Goncourt and its annual prize, the Prix Goncourt, still France's most prestigious literary award. He died in 1896 at his home in Champrosay.