Émile Zola.

Émile Zola came into the world on April 2, 1840 in Paris, France, to Francesco Zola, an Italian engineer, and Émilie Aubert. At Collége Bourbon in Provence, he befriended Paul Cézanne. In 1858 he returned to Paris and attended Lycée Saint-Louis, graduating in 1862. After working clerical jobs, he began writing a literary column for a Parisian newspaper.

Zola’s main literary work was Les Rougon-Macquart, a cycle of twenty novels about Parisian society under the Second Empire. His notable novels include L’assommoir 1877, Nana 1880, and Germinal 1885. He founded the Naturalist movement, emphasizing scientific observation and heredity. In 1886 he published L’Oeuvre, which depicted his friend Paul Cézanne, ending their friendship. Zola risked his career in 1898 by defending Captain Alfred Dreyfus in his open letter J’Accuse, published in L’Aurore. He was convicted of libel and fled to England, later returning as the government collapsed.

Zola married Alexandrine Gabrielle Meley on May 31, 1870. He had a daughter, Denise, born September 20, 1889, and a son, Jacques, born in 1891, with his mistress Jeanne Rozerot. He was a close friend of Paul Cézanne from childhood until the publication of L’Oeuvre ended their friendship. Zola also counted Gustave Flaubert, Edmond de Goncourt, and Ivan Turgenev as literary companions.

Zola’s remains were transferred to the Pantheon in Paris on June 4, 1908, honoring his contributions to French literature. He was appointed Knight of the Legion of Honour and later Officer of the Legion of Honour. His open letter J’Accuse remains a landmark in the fight against anti-Semitism and for justice. Zola’s portrait by Édouard Manet 1868 and a 2002 postage stamp commemorate his life. He is most remembered for his Naturalist novels and his role in the Dreyfus Affair.