Maurice Chappaz
Encyclopedia
Maurice Chappaz was a French-language Swiss poet and writer. He published more than 40 books and won several literary awards, including his country's most notable award, the Grand Prix Schiller, in 1997.
, Maurice Chappaz spent his childhood between Martigny and the abbey of Le Châble, in the Swiss canton of Valais
. Born of a family of lawyers and sollicitors, nephew of Valaisian secretary of State Maurice Troillet, he studied at Saint-Maurice Abbey High School, then he registered first in Law School at the University of Lausanne
, but quickly left it to study littérature in the University of Geneva
, which he also left a few months later.
A poet above all, Maurice Chappaz published his first text, Un homme qui vivait couché sur un banc, in December 1939. On that occasion, he was encouraged by Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz and Gustave Roud.
But as of the summer of 1940, World War II
put an end to his availability. He thus had to patrol the Swiss borders and published several texts in the review Lettres which would be collected in 1944 into Les Grandes Journées de Printemps hailed by Paul Eluard
. In 1942, he met S. Corinna Bille
, painter Edmond Bille
's daughter, whom he would marry in 1947 and with whom he would have three children, Blaise, Achille and Marie-Noëlle. After Corinna's death in 1979, he remarried in 1992, with Michène Caussignac, travel-writer Lorenzo Pestelli's widow.
After the end of World War II, Maurice Chappaz travelled in Europe
. Without any regular occupation and yearning to devote his time to writing, he became an occasional press correspondent while managing his uncle's vineyard in Valais. As he went through serious personal turmoil, he tried new experiences after another and his hand at different jobs while at the same time still more questions cropped up in his mind.
In 1953, the publishing of the Testament du Haut-Rhône crowned a ten-year poetic quest. The book, noted by Charles-Albert Cingria, was a success (its author got awarded the Prix Rambert), yet, the poet was forced to rethink himself and was thrown into a deep despair. To see the world from a new perspective, he decided to join the Grande Dixence Dam
building site, where he would work as a surveyor-attendant. This experience would reconcile him with poetry and its outcome would be the Chant de la Grande Dixence (written as of 1959, and published in 1965). Later to be followed by Portrait des Valaisans en Légende et en Vérité (1965), Office des Morts (written in 1963, and published in 1966) or Tendres Campagnes(written in 1962, and published in 1966).
Maurice Chappaz carried out still other numerous trips around the world : Laponia
(1968), Paris
(1968), Nepal
and Tibet
(1970), Mount Athos
(1972), Lebanon
(1974), Russia
(1974 et 1979), China
(1981), Quebec
and New York
(1990).
In the 1970s, the press and the Valaisian population were divided over the publishing of his book Les Maquereaux des Cimes Blanches (The Mackerels of the White Ridges), which is a pamphlet against the tourist industry that wreaks havoc in the genuine Valais. On that occasion, students from Saint-Maurice would write « Vive Chappaz » (long live Chappaz) in huge white capital letters on the cliff overlooking the abbey.
On Corinna Bille's death, in 1979, he left Veyras
, where they had moved in in 1957, and he settled in Le Châble abbey, which belonged to his mother's side. Then he published poems alternating between the burlesque and a deathly tone (A rire et à mourir, 1983), he began a 6000 pages Journal, held continuously from 1981 to 1987, and wrote a tale and poetical prose dealing with mourning (Octobre 79 and Le Livre de C., 1986).
Eager to publish his wife Corinna Bille's unpublished writings, left behind at her death, and taking over the translation from Virgil
for éditions Gallimard (1987) and Theocritus
' Idylls (1992), he drafted a picture of the Alpine ancient civilization in Valais-Tibet (2000).
In 1997, Maurice Chappaz was awarded Grand Prix Shiller, the most prestigious Swiss award, and that same year, he was also awarded, in France, the Poetry Bourse Goncourt
for the whole of his work. In Autumn 2001, Evangile selon Judas (Gospel according to Judas), a theological fictitious tale, was published by Gallimard.
In 2002, he wrote a text titled Lettre d'une forêt à l'autre which was published in the art review Trou (issue n°12) ; the head edition (100 issues numbered and signed) contained a facsimile of the manuscript of his thank speech for his title of Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, delivered in Martigny in Autumn 2001 for the French ambassador.
Chappaz's last published book before his death was La Pipe qui Prie et Fume, in 2008.
Maurice Chappaz died on January, 15 2009 in Martigny hospital.
Biography
Born in LausanneLausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Maurice Chappaz spent his childhood between Martigny and the abbey of Le Châble, in the Swiss canton of Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
. Born of a family of lawyers and sollicitors, nephew of Valaisian secretary of State Maurice Troillet, he studied at Saint-Maurice Abbey High School, then he registered first in Law School at the University of Lausanne
University of Lausanne
The University of Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland was founded in 1537 as a school of theology, before being made a university in 1890. Today about 12,000 students and 2200 researchers study and work at the university...
, but quickly left it to study littérature in the University of Geneva
University of Geneva
The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...
, which he also left a few months later.
A poet above all, Maurice Chappaz published his first text, Un homme qui vivait couché sur un banc, in December 1939. On that occasion, he was encouraged by Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz and Gustave Roud.
But as of the summer of 1940, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
put an end to his availability. He thus had to patrol the Swiss borders and published several texts in the review Lettres which would be collected in 1944 into Les Grandes Journées de Printemps hailed by Paul Eluard
Paul Éluard
Paul Éluard, born Eugène Émile Paul Grindel , was a French poet who was one of the founders of the surrealist movement.-Biography:...
. In 1942, he met S. Corinna Bille
S. Corinna Bille
S. Corinna Bille was a French speaking writer from Switzerland. Bille was born in Lausanne, the daughter of Swiss painter Edmond Bille. She won the 1975 Prix Goncourt de la Nouvelle for La Demoiselle sauvage...
, painter Edmond Bille
Edmond Bille
Edmond Bille was a Swiss artist. Bille engaged in intense and varied activity as painter, engraver, stained glass artist, journalist, writer, and politician. He is the creator of the stained glass windows around the altar of the Cathedral of Lausanne, capital of the Swiss canton of Vaud...
's daughter, whom he would marry in 1947 and with whom he would have three children, Blaise, Achille and Marie-Noëlle. After Corinna's death in 1979, he remarried in 1992, with Michène Caussignac, travel-writer Lorenzo Pestelli's widow.
After the end of World War II, Maurice Chappaz travelled in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Without any regular occupation and yearning to devote his time to writing, he became an occasional press correspondent while managing his uncle's vineyard in Valais. As he went through serious personal turmoil, he tried new experiences after another and his hand at different jobs while at the same time still more questions cropped up in his mind.
In 1953, the publishing of the Testament du Haut-Rhône crowned a ten-year poetic quest. The book, noted by Charles-Albert Cingria, was a success (its author got awarded the Prix Rambert), yet, the poet was forced to rethink himself and was thrown into a deep despair. To see the world from a new perspective, he decided to join the Grande Dixence Dam
Grande Dixence Dam
The Grande Dixence Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Dixence River at the head of the Val d'Hérens in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. At high, it is the tallest gravity dam in the world and is part of the Cleuson-Dixence Complex...
building site, where he would work as a surveyor-attendant. This experience would reconcile him with poetry and its outcome would be the Chant de la Grande Dixence (written as of 1959, and published in 1965). Later to be followed by Portrait des Valaisans en Légende et en Vérité (1965), Office des Morts (written in 1963, and published in 1966) or Tendres Campagnes(written in 1962, and published in 1966).
Maurice Chappaz carried out still other numerous trips around the world : Laponia
Laponia
Laponia , was a historical Swedish province, or landskap, in the north of Sweden which evolved from Lappmarken. Lapland is considered in some nations, notably; Ireland, England, Sweden and Finland to be the home of Father Christmas. In 1809 the eastern part was ceded by Russia, which in effect...
(1968), Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
(1968), Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
(1970), Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
(1972), Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
(1974), Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(1974 et 1979), China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
(1981), Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(1990).
In the 1970s, the press and the Valaisian population were divided over the publishing of his book Les Maquereaux des Cimes Blanches (The Mackerels of the White Ridges), which is a pamphlet against the tourist industry that wreaks havoc in the genuine Valais. On that occasion, students from Saint-Maurice would write « Vive Chappaz » (long live Chappaz) in huge white capital letters on the cliff overlooking the abbey.
On Corinna Bille's death, in 1979, he left Veyras
Veyras
Veyras is a municipality in the district of Sierre in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.-Geography:Veyras has an area, , of . Of this area, or 55.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 9.0% is forested...
, where they had moved in in 1957, and he settled in Le Châble abbey, which belonged to his mother's side. Then he published poems alternating between the burlesque and a deathly tone (A rire et à mourir, 1983), he began a 6000 pages Journal, held continuously from 1981 to 1987, and wrote a tale and poetical prose dealing with mourning (Octobre 79 and Le Livre de C., 1986).
Eager to publish his wife Corinna Bille's unpublished writings, left behind at her death, and taking over the translation from Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
for éditions Gallimard (1987) and Theocritus
Theocritus
Theocritus , the creator of ancient Greek bucolic poetry, flourished in the 3rd century BC.-Life:Little is known of Theocritus beyond what can be inferred from his writings. We must, however, handle these with some caution, since some of the poems commonly attributed to him have little claim to...
' Idylls (1992), he drafted a picture of the Alpine ancient civilization in Valais-Tibet (2000).
In 1997, Maurice Chappaz was awarded Grand Prix Shiller, the most prestigious Swiss award, and that same year, he was also awarded, in France, the Poetry Bourse Goncourt
Prix Goncourt
The Prix Goncourt is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year"...
for the whole of his work. In Autumn 2001, Evangile selon Judas (Gospel according to Judas), a theological fictitious tale, was published by Gallimard.
In 2002, he wrote a text titled Lettre d'une forêt à l'autre which was published in the art review Trou (issue n°12) ; the head edition (100 issues numbered and signed) contained a facsimile of the manuscript of his thank speech for his title of Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, delivered in Martigny in Autumn 2001 for the French ambassador.
Chappaz's last published book before his death was La Pipe qui Prie et Fume, in 2008.
Maurice Chappaz died on January, 15 2009 in Martigny hospital.
Prizes and awards
- Grand Prix Académie Rhodanienne, 1948
- Prix Eugène Rambert, 1953
- Prix de la Ville de Martigny, 1966
- Prix de l'État du Valais, 1985
- Grand Prix Schiller, 1997
- Bourse Goncourt de la poésie, 1997
- Grand Prix du Salon du livre de Montagne, Passy (France), 2000
Works
- Les Grandes Journées de printemps, Porrentruy, Aux portes de France, 1944, p. 56; rééd. Lausanne, Cahiers de la renaissance vaudoise, 1966, p. 71
- Grand Saint-Bernard, 80 photographies d'Oscar Darbellay, Lausanne, J. Marguerat, 1953, pp. 23, 80
- Testament du Haut-Rhône, Lausanne, Rencontre, 1953, p. 99; rééd. Lausanne, Cahiers de la renaissance vaudoise, 1966, p. 100; rééd. ill. par Gérard de Palézieux, Saint-Clément-de-Rivière, Fata Morgana, 2003
- Le Valais au gosier de grive, Lausanne, Payot, 1960, p. 77
- Chant de la Grande Dixence, Lausanne, Payot, 1965, p. 60
- Un homme qui vivait couché sur un banc, Lausanne, Cahiers de la renaissance vaudoise, 1966, p. 110
- Office des morts, Lausanne, Cahiers de la renaissance vaudoise, 1966, p. 79
- Tendres Campagnes, Lausanne, Cahiers de la renaissance vaudoise, 1966, p. 66
- Verdures de la nuit, Lausanne, Cahiers de la renaissance vaudoise, 1966, p. 53
- Le Match Valais-Judée, [2nd éd.], dessins d'Étienne Delessert, Lausanne, Cahiers de la Renaissance vaudoise, 1969, p. 207
- La Tentation de l'Orient : lettres autour du monde, Lausanne, Cahiers de la Renaissance vaudoise, 1970, p. 150
- Lötschental secret : les photographies historiques d'Albert Nyfeler, ill. d'A. Nyfeler, Lausanne, Éd. 24 heures, 1975, p. 155
- Les Maquereaux des cimes blanches, Vevey, B. Galland, 1976, p. 68
- Portrait des Valaisans : en légende et en vérité, [5th éd.], Vevey, B. Galland, 1976, p. 187
- Adieu à Gustave Roud, avec Philippe JaccottetPhilippe JaccottetPhilippe Jaccottet is a poet and translator who publishes in French.After completing his studies in Lausanne, he lived several years in Paris. In 1953, came to live in the town of Grignan in Provence...
et Jacques ChessexJacques ChessexJacques Chessex was a Swiss author and painter.-Biography :Chessex was born in 1934 in Payerne. From 1951 to 1953, he studied in St-Michel College in Fribourg, before undertaking literature studies in Lausanne. In 1953, he co-founded the literary review Pays du Lac in Pully...
, Vevey, B. Galland, 1977, p. 85 - Pages choisies : avec un inédit, préface d'Étiemble, Lausanne-Paris, A. Eibel-Ophrys, 1977, p. 282
- Poésie, préface de Marcel Raymond, Vevey-Paris, B. Galland-Payot, 1980
- À rire et à mourir : récits, paraboles et chansons du lointain pays, Vevey, B. Galland, 1983, p. 241
- Les Maquereaux des cimes blanches, précédé de La Haine du passé, Genève, Éd. Zoé, 1984, p. 99
- Journal des 4000, ill. de Claire Colmet Daâge, Briançon, Passage, 1985, p. 89
- Le Livre de C, [nouv. éd. revue], Lausanne, Éditions Empreintes, 1987, p. 151
- Le Garçon qui croyait au paradis, récit, Lausanne, Éd. 24 heures, 1989, p. 100
- La Veillée des Vikings, récits, Lausanne, Éd. 24 heures, 1990, p. 134
- Le Gagne-pain du songe : correspondance 1928-1961, M. Chappaz et Maurice Troillet, Lausanne, Éd. Empreintes, 1991, p. 283
- Journal de l'année 1984 : écriture et errance, postfaces de Marius Michaud et de Stéphanie Cudré-Mauroux, Lausanne, Éd. Empreintes, 1996, p. 240
- La Tentation de l'Orient : lettres autour du monde, M. Chappaz et Jean-Marc Lovay, préf. de Nicolas BouvierNicolas BouvierNicolas Bouvier was a 20th-century Swiss traveller and writer as well as an iconographer and photographer.-Life:Bouvier was born at Grand-Lancy near Geneva, the youngest of three children...
, post. de Jérôme Meizoz, Genève, Éd. Zoé, 1997, pp. X–141 - Bienheureux les lacs, ill. de Gérard Palézieux, Genève, Slatkine, 1998, p. 108
- Partir à vingt ans, préf. de Jean StarobinskiJean StarobinskiJean Starobinski is a Swiss literary critic.-Biography:Jean Starobinski studied classical literature, and then medicine at the University of Geneva, and graduated from that school with a doctorate in letters and in medicine...
, Genève, La Joie de lire, 1999, p. 216 - Évangile selon Judas, récit, Paris, Gallimard, 2001, p. 167
- Le Voyage en Savoie : du renard à l'eubage, photos et réal. graphique Matthieu Gétaz, Genève, La Joie de lire, 2001, p. 94
- À-Dieu-vat !, entretiens avec Jérôme Meizoz, Sierre, Monographic, 2003, p. 221
- Se reconnaître poète ? : correspondance 1935-1953, M. Chappaz et Gilbert Rossa, éd. par Françoise Fornerod, Genève, Slatkine, 2007, p. 397
- La Pipe qui prie et fume, avec 26 reprod. de monotypes de Pierre-Yves Gabioud, Éd. Conférence, 2008, p. 200