Gustave Geffroy (French pronunciation:[ɡystavʒɛfʁwa]; 1 June 1855 – 4 April 1926) was a French journalist, art critic, historian and novelist. He was one of the ten founding members of the literary organisationAcadémie Goncourt in 1900.
Geffroy is noted as one of the first historians of theImpressionistart movement with his publication ofHistoire de l'impressionnisme in 1892.[1] He knew and championedMonet, whom he met in 1886 inBelle-Île-en-Mer while travelling for research on prisons of theSecond Empire. Monet introduced him toCézanne, who paintedhis portrait in 1895.
He contributed to the newspaperLa Justice from 15 January 1880, and came to know its founder,Georges Clemenceau, who in 1908 appointed him director of theGobelins tapestry factory, a position he held until his death.
