George Sand

French novelist and memoirist (1804–1876)

Fame74.9
Momentum0.6
France rank#158

Source-basedStable

Fame74.9
Momentum0.6
France rank#158
Writers rank#196
Wikipedia96.8K

Lived 1804–1876, aged 72France

France WritersWriter / Author

Wikipedia
86 languages
Cross-language footprint
Rank in France
#158
Writers
Era
1804–1876
Aged 72
Known for
Fanchon, the Cricket
1915

Summary

Updated 2026-08-30

A woman who wore men's clothes, wrote under a man's name, and outsold Hugo and Balzac in 1840s Britain — then filled 70 novels and 50 more volumes with arguments against marriage and calls for women's rights that scandalized the whole of conservative France.

Biography

About

Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin de Francueil was born 1 July 1804 and grew up admiring her great-grandmother Louise Dupin, an earlier advocate for women. She took the pen name George Sand and by the 1830s had become one of the most recognized writers of the European Romantic era, more renowned in Britain than Victor Hugo or Honoré de Balzac. Across 70 novels plus over 50 volumes of tales, plays, political texts, and memoirs she criticized marriage, championed passion and women's rights, and fought the prejudices around her. Her turbulent love life and her choice to dress in masculine clothing mad…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from George Sand

George Sand

said1875

What is it that you think about, Sleeping Beauty, as you ride along the country lanes on that skinny mare of yours? And not so much of a beauty either, come to think of it.

— beginning of Marianne (1875)

George Sand

said1875

Here I am, worried and anxious; there she is, serenity incarnate. How can she appear before me like a human reproach? Like an ironic comment on my own life.

— Marianne (1875) chapter VI

George Sand

said1861