Denys Corbet

Who was Denys Corbet?

Denys Corbet was a Channel Islands poet, Naïve painter, and school master. He was the second son of Pierre and Susanne who was born at La Turquie, Vale, Guernsey, Channel Island. He married Mary "Elizabeth" Wellington and had 6 children.

Corbet wrote, for the most, in the Dgernesiais language, used historically in Guernsey the Channel Islands. Corbet described himself as the Le Draïn Rimeux. He is best known for his poems, especially the epic L'Touar de Guernesy, a picaresque tour of the parishes of Guernsey and Les Feuilles de la Foret among others.

As editor of the French-language newspaper Le Bailliage, he also wrote prose columns in Dgèrnésiais under the pen name Badlagoule. Today Denys Corbet is largely known as a naïve painter of cows and rural life.

Canadian artist Christian Corbet is a cousin of Denys Corbet. Christian Corbet's 6th great grandfather Thomas Corbet was the older brother to Pierre Corbet, Denys Corbet's grandfather.

Between 30–31 May 2009 a special exhibition at the Forest Douzaine, Forest, Guernsey, Channel Islands will be held commemorating the centenary of Denys Corbet's passing.