Huysmans, J(oris) K(arl) 1848-1907
French novelist

He was born in Paris of Dutch descent, and his works reflect many aspects of the spiritual and intellectual life of late 19th-century France. His early ultra-realism is reflected in such works as Les S?urs Vatard (1879, 'The Vatard Sisters'), and � vau-l'eau (1882, 'Downstream'). His best-known work, � rebours (1884, Eng trans Against Nature, 1959) deals with a decadent, aesthetic hero who turns his back on the real world and constructs his own world of extreme artifice; it was much admired by Oscar Wilde and his circle, and established Huysmans as a leading light in the Decadent movement of the period. Later works include L�-bas (1891, 'Down There') and En Route (1892). His L'Art moderne (1882, Eng trans Certains, 1889) is a superb study of Impressionist painting.

Bibliography: R B Baldick, The Life of J K Huysmans (1955)