Who among the following was a French journalist and novelist known for his series of 20 novels collectively known as Les Rougon-Macquart?

Émile Zola was a prominent French novelist, journalist, and a leading figure of the literary movement of Naturalism. He is best known for his monumental 20-novel series "Les Rougon-Macquart", which portrays the lives, politics, and social conditions of the Second French Empire through the fictional Rougon and Macquart families. Zola’s works reflected realism, social critique, and scientific observation of society. Beyond literature, he was also influential in public affairs, most notably through his role in the Dreyfus Affair, where he wrote the open letter “J’accuse…!”, which defended justice and human rights.