Honora de Balzac is considered the founder of social realism. Balzac was the first writer to write about the all social levels of the social scene in France. His vast collection of works encompasses the Restoration period and the July Monarchy. La Comedie Humaine was written between 1799 and 1850. This collection contains 95 novels, stories, and essays. A Marriage Contract (Le contrat de mariage 1835) is part of the Scenes from private life (Scènes de la vie privée) of La Comedie Humaine.