Blaise Cendrars

author

Swiss-French^[1,3] b. 1 September 1887, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland^[1,2] d. 21 January 1961, Paris, France^[1,2] active 1912–1961

Blaise Cendrars (born Frédéric-Louis Sauser) was a Swiss-born novelist and poet who became a naturalized French citizen in 1916. A major figure of the European modernist movement, he is known for his pioneering poetry that captured the velocity and fragmentation of early 20th-century experience. His work often explored themes of travel, modern life, and self-mythologization. Although he claimed to have been born in Paris, historical records confirm his birth in Switzerland. He was a significant influence on the avant-garde, with his works recognized for their lyrical intensity and innovative structure.^[1,2,3]

• modernism
• travel
• poetry
• velocity