Joseph Maximilien Buchon also known as Max Buchon (May 8, 1818–December 14, 1869) was a French poet, novelist and translator. He was from

Salins-les-Bains Salins-les-Bains (), commonly referred to simply as Salins, is a commune in the Jura department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in Eastern France. It is located on the departmental border with Doubs, 34.8 km (21.6 mi) to the s ...

and for a time he lived in Switzerland. He founded the newspaper, ''La Démocratie Salinoise''.

Early life

In 1818, we was born in

France. His parents were Jean-Baptiste Buchon and Jeanne Marie née Pasteur. His father was a soldier in

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

's army. In the 1830s he became friends with artist

Gustave Courbet Jean Désiré Gustave Courbet ( ; ; ; 10 June 1819 – 31 December 1877) was a French painter who led the Realism movement in 19th-century French painting. Committed to painting only what he could see, he rejected academic convention and the ...

and the two were close for the rest of Buchon's life. From 1834 to 1837 he studied at the College of Saint Michael in

Fribourg or is the capital of the Cantons of Switzerland, Swiss canton of Canton of Fribourg, Fribourg and district of Sarine (district), La Sarine. Located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss Plateau, it is a major economic, adminis ...

Switzerland.

Career

While in college he befriended politician Alexandre Daguet. Buchon was a follower of the French utopian socialist

Charles Fourier François Marie Charles Fourier (; ; 7 April 1772 – 10 October 1837) was a French philosopher, an influential early socialist thinker, and one of the founders of utopian socialism. Some of his views, held to be radical in his lifetime, have be ...

but he could not convince Daguet that Fournier's ideas had validity. Buchon devoted himself to literature. He became radicalized by the

French Revolution of 1848 The French Revolution of 1848 (), also known as the February Revolution (), was a period of civil unrest in France, in February 1848, that led to the collapse of the July Monarchy and the foundation of the French Second Republic. It sparked t ...

. Eight days after the revolution he founded the newspaper, ''La Démocratie Salinoise''. On May 2, 1848 Buchon became the Deputy Mayor of salins. In 1851 after the

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...

French coup d'état of 1851 he fled to Switzerland. In Jura Switzerland he wrote articles for the newspaper ''Rouge'' and for other liberal newspapers in Salins, Switzerland. In 1856 he returned to settle in his home town of Salins. He was able to return home because his friend

asked that Buchon be pardoned. He introduced the works of Swiss Novelist

Jeremias Gotthelf Albert Bitzius (4 October 179722 October 1854) was a Swiss novelist, best known by his pen name of Jeremias Gotthelf. Biography Bitzius was born at Murten, where his father was pastor. The Bitzius family had once belonged to the Bernese patric ...

to France by translating his writings.

Legacy

When he died in Salins on December 14, 1869, Gustave Courbet was at his bedside. After his death in 1869 French poet

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo, vicomte Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romanticism, Romantic author, poet, essayist, playwright, journalist, human rights activist and politician. His most famous works are the novels ''The Hunchbac ...

wrote: "He leaves as a poet a work and as a citizen an example." He was interred in Salins cemetery and on his tomb there is a bust of Buchon which was created by Max Claudet.

Books

* * * *Chants Populaires de La Franche-Comta * * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buchon, Max 1818 births 1869 deaths 19th-century French writers 19th-century French poets 19th-century French translators