Jean Richepin

Biographical information

RolesReferee
SexMale
Full nameAuguste Jules "Jean"•Richepin
Used nameJean•Richepin
Born4 February 1849 in Médéa, Médéa (ALG)
Died12 December 1926 in Paris XVIe, Paris (FRA)
NOC France

Biography

Jean Richepin was an Algerian-born French writer, dramatist, and lyricist. His father was an army doctor, who came from the region Thiérache in Northern France. Jean attended school in Douai and then transferred to the École normale supérieure graduating in 1870 with a degree in literature.

After serving in the Franco-Prussian War, Richepin joined the poets’ circle Cercle des poètes Zutiques around Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891) in 1871. The following four years of his life are unclear. His claim that he travelled to Italy with gypsies and made his living as a dock worker and a sailor may have been partly invented to underline his bravado and to exaggerate his masculinity. During this period, he wrote articles for various newspapers. His first play appeared in 1873. In 1875, he returned to Paris and settled in the Latin Quarter. Here he frequented artists’ bars and met various other writers.

Richepin became particularly well known for his sometimes very crude collections of verses, some of which were banned from publication. He was even briefly imprisoned and fined 500 francs for “insulting morals”. His novels are characterized by brutality and morbidity. Later works, however, show elaborate psychology or plainer descriptions of life. Richepin had great success with his plays, many of which were performed at the Comédie Française. In 1883, the premiere of Nana Sahib starred the famous Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923).

Richepin was appointed member of the Académie française in 1908, which terminated his career as a rebel. In 1912, he was elected mayor of Montchauvet but was not re-elected on seven years later. In 1914, he was narrowly defeated contesting a seat in the French Parliament. Two years before his death, he was president of the jury for literature at the Paris Olympics.

Referee

Games Sport (Discipline) / Event NOC / Team Phase Unit Role As
1924 Summer Olympics Art Competitions FRA Jean Richepin
Literature, Open (Olympic) Final Standings Judge