(1799-1850) He was a French novelist and playwright. His magnum opus was a sequence of almost 100 novels short stories and plays collectively entitled La Comédie humaine which presents a panorama of French life in the years after the fall of Napoléon Bonaparte in 1815. Due to his keen observation of detail and unfiltered representation of society Balzac is regarded as one of the founders of realism in European literature. He is renowned for his multi-faceted characters; even his lesser characters are complex morally ambiguous and fully human. Main studies are (Le Cousin Pons 1846-1847) marriage settlements (Le Contrat de mariage 1835) petitions in lunacy (L'Interdiction 1836) and bankruptcy proceedings (César Birotteau 1837; Illusions perdues 1837-1843). Balzac suffered from health problems throughout his life possibly due to his intense writing schedule. His relationship with his family was often strained by financial and personal drama and he lost more than one friend over critical reviews. In 1850 he married Ewelina Hanska his longtime love; he died five ^ rnrriiWV months later.