René Maran’s 132nd Birthday

Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Marseille-based guest artist Irene Tardif, celebrates French author René Maran, born on a boat en route from Guyana to Martinique on this day in 1887 (although some sources cite November 8th, which was the day when his birth was officially declared following the boat’s arrival). His 1921 book Batouala: A True Black Novel spoke of life in a Central African village as seen through the eyes of a tribal chief. Praised by the likes of Ernest Hemingway, the powerful work of fiction made Maran the first black author to win the prestigious Prix Goncourt, one of France’s highest literary honors.

As the son of a French colonial official, Maran spent his early childhood in Gabon and was educated in French boarding schools. Like his father, he went on to work for the French government, serving as an administrator in Oubangui-Chari, now known as the Central African Republic. While there, Maran learned the Bantu language and wove details of the local culture into his writing.

In 1921, the preface  to his debut novel criticized racial inequalities in the colonial system, which sparked controversy and criticism. Maran soon resigned from his government position and moved to Paris, where he corresponded and socialized with African-American writers of the Harlem Renaissance throughout the 1920s and 30s.

Maran would go on to write for prominent periodicals in France and America—including publications like Opportunity, The Crisis, and Chicago Defender—and authored several other books of verse, fiction, and memoir. He also spent more than a decade reworking Batouala, a groundbreaking work of fiction that was admired for its unprecedented insights into African life and widely translated. 

Maran remained staunchly committed to equality throughout his life, as well as to the quality of his writing. His success gave inspiration to the 1930s movement of francophone intellectuals in the African diaspora, and to this day he is regarded as a literary pioneer.

Guest Artist Q&A with Irene Tardif

Today's Doodle was created by Marseille-based guest artist Irene Tardif.
Below, she shares some thoughts on the making of the Doodle:

Q: Why was this topic meaningful to you personally?

A: I was very surprised to see how little light was shed on René Maran's life and work, mainly because of the political context in which his book was published. I am happy to have been able to learn more about him thanks to this commission, and perhaps to be able to give him a particular insight.
 

Q: What were your first thoughts when you were approached about the project?

A: The project was a real challenge because the author's life is very rich, and his work deals with rather sensitive subjects, which should not be caricatured. So I was very excited but also very careful about the direction I wanted to give to the image.
 

Q: Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle? 

A: I particularly like drawing melancholic portraits, and I wanted to try to transcribe the nostalgia that emanates from past photos.
 

Q: What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle?

A: Be curious and read his work.

Early sketch of the Doodle