Gustave Flaubert was a French novelist, often considered the leading exponent of literary realism in France and abroad. He was born on 12 December 1821 and passed away on 8 May 1880. Flaubert is celebrated for his debut novel, Madame Bovary (1857), which offers a realistic portrayal of bourgeois life and led to a trial over its alleged immorality.

Flaubert's work is characterized by a rigorous devotion to style and aesthetics, a pursuit he famously described as seeking le mot juste ('the exact word'). His influence extended to many writers, including the short story writer Guy de Maupassant, who was his protégé.

According to literary theorist Kornelije Kvas, "in Flaubert, realism strives for formal perfection, so the presentation of reality tends to be neutral, emphasizing the values and importance of style as an objective method of presenting reality."