Jean Paulhan

Jean Paulhan (1884-1968) stands at the crossroads of major literary and artistic movements in twentieth-century France. Editor, critic, and writer, he played a central role in journals such as the NRF and influenced several generations of authors.

His work explores the tensions between expression and language, most famously through the concepts of Rhetoric and Terror. He combined editorial practice with a deep reflection on style, cliches, and the power of words.

This page is a short introduction. For a broader documentary entry, see the author page: Jean Paulhan.