Journal

About “Journal”

The journal of the brothers Edmond and Jules de Goncourt documents their lives and the cultural milieu of nineteenth-century France, encompassing their visits to diverse settings such as slums, brothels, balls, department stores, and imperial receptions. It records their discussions on art and politics, their interactions with prominent figures like Hugo, Baudelaire, Flaubert, and Zola, and Edmond’s account of his brother’s death from syphilis in 1871, followed by his continued maintenance of the journal for two more decades.