The Fictional Writing Of Vivant Denon: First Collected English Translation of the Earliest Published Versions: Julie, or the Good Father (1769); No Tomorrow (1777) - Hardcover

Denon, Vivant

Hardcover

ISBN 13: 9798256214869

Publisher: 7000 Islands Publishing, 2026

Synopsis

This work is the first complete English translation of the 1768 play Julie, ou le Bon Père, and the original 1777 version of Point de Lendermain, comprising the only known fictional writings of Dominique Vivant Denon. Dominique Vivant Denon (1747-1825) is celebrated today as a quintessential Napoleonic polymath: a pioneering archaeologist, the first director of the Louvre Museum, and a diplomat. However, long before he accompanied Napoleon Bonaparte to Egypt, a young Denon made his literary mark in the salons of pre-revolutionary Paris. His early creative output focused heavily on the performing and visual arts, with one performed play, and one work of literature.

In presenting this English translation of Dominique-Vivant Denon's 1769 play, Julie, ou le Bon Père (Julie, or the Good Father), it is critical to trace its lineage back to its prose source material. The core plot of Denon's piece was adapted directly from a popular tale by Nicolas Bricaire de la Dixmerie entitled Le Sage honteux de l'être (The Sage Ashamed to Be One). Dixmerie's piece was first published anonymously in an 1766 issue of Mercure de France..Dixmerie and Denon were both prominent members of Les Neuf Soeurs (The Nine Sisters), the well known French Masonic lodge of the Enlightenment era. This lodge was a tightly knit group of intellectual friendships, where Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin, and the painter Jacques-Louis David routinely met.

Based on comprehensive translation registries, academic bibliographies, and literary history, the original 1777 version of Point de lendemain has never been published, either as a standalone English translation, or in combination with Denon's other writing. Translating the original 1777 edition of Vivant Denon's Point de lendemain presents a distinct linguistic challenge. It requires rescuing the text from the retrospective, highly polished vocabulary of its famous, and often defined as "definitive," 1812 revision. While the 1812 text leans heavily on a stylized, coolly detached prose that anticipates nineteenth-century psychological realism, the 1777 original remains tethered to the fluid, often volatile vocabulary of late-Enlightenment sensibilité.

It is hoped that this work will add to the knowledge of the English reader of French Enlightenment literature, and provide an enjoyable experience for the general 21^st century reader, and additional resources for those working in an academic field.

About this title

About the Authors

Dominique Vivant Denon (1747-1825) is celebrated today as a quintessential Napoleonic polymath: a pioneering archaeologist, the first director of the Louvre Museum, and a diplomat. However, long before he accompanied Napoleon Bonaparte to Egypt, a young Denon made his literary mark in the salons of pre-revolutionary Paris. His early creative output focused heavily on the performing and visual arts, with one performed play, and one work of literature.

Jon M. Fox is a writer of experimental fiction, non-fiction and poetry. He is the author of several novels and story collections. He has also translated the works of several Enlightenment period authors. Born in the United States, Jon now makes his home in Nueva Ecija Province in the Philippines. His fictional writing and poetry frequently focuses on the use of magical realism, largely stemming from his Yaqui Native American indigenous heritage and life experiences. When he isn't reading or writing, he's busy with various projects in the Philippines, and sharing his time with his wife and family.

Edition details

• Publisher: 7000 Islands Publishing
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798256214869
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 256
• Editor: Fox Jon M