Students of French! Café Musée Event: Victor Hugo: From Romanticism to Revolutions

Maybe you've heard of Les Misérables?  Or the Hunchback of Notre Dame?  They were both written by the eminent French writer, Victor Hugo ( 1802-1885).  At instructor Renée Morel's May 3 event, you'll have a chance to learn more about this intriguing author, see a slide presentation, have a scrumptious brunch and stimulating discussion!  Here's a chance to practice the French you have been so diligently learning.  See below for details.  And admission is free!

What:  Victor Hugo: From Romanticism to Revolutions 
When:  May 3, 2014 (Saturday) from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 
Where:  Visual Arts Building, Room V114, on the Ocean Campus of CCSF.  Click here for a campus map. 
Who:      Presented en français par Renée Morel and the Café Musée team.  




Here's a bit more about Victor Hugo and the event: 

A poet, novelist, and dramatist of the Romantic movement, Victor Hugo (1802–1885) is one of the greatest and best known French writers. His novels Les Misérables (1862) and Notre-Dame de Paris (1831) [The Hunchback of Notre-Dame] have been translated in countless languages and made into numerous films, TV series, and musicals. The third son of Leopold Hugo, a soldier who eventually became a high-ranked officer in Napoleon's army, and Sophie Trébuchet, who held opposite political and religious views, Victor Hugo grew up during a time of political turmoil: the Consulate, the Empire, and the restoration of the Bourbon Monarchy —all before his eighteenth birthday. A fierce royalist as a youth, he became a passionate supporter of Republicanism. The enormous scope of his work moves from Romanticism to Realism and touches upon most of the political and social issues of his time.

But Hugo also produced more than 4,000 drawings. Originally pursued as a hobby, drawing became more important to him before his exile, when he stopped writing to devote himself to politics. Hugo worked only on a small scale and on paper, usually in dark brown washes or pen-and-ink drawings. Surprisingly modern in style and execution (puddles and stains, folding —like Rorschach blots— grattage or rubbing), they foreshadow later experimental techniques of Surrealism and Expressionism.

Many thanks to Margie Burke, artist, and Dennis Mullen, CCSF instructor, for giving me the book and the art magazine that led to this presentation!   

The Café Musée is an officially recognized CCSF club whose activities are partially funded by the Associated Student Union. Our previous presentations, “Ingres: Classicism With A Twist” and “Looking Good: Paul Helleu (1859-1927) and Society Portraits” were extremely popular. To join us, write to reneemorel@gmail.com or call: (415) 255-8301.

Venez parler d’art et faire la connaissance d’autres francophones et francophiles!

Require accommodations? SVP, contact DSP&S at 452-5481, giving at least 72 hours’ notice.