French intellectual life is far from being limited to the Valois court. In Lyon, around the printer Jean de Tournes, poets compete for creativity by finding their inspiration in French and Italian courtly poems. One hundred years before the Académie Française, Jacques Peletier already seeks to harmonize the spelling.
Maurice Scève appears as the leader of this informal Lyonnaise school. It is interesting for understanding the practice of his time to remind that his major work, Délie, was published almost anonymously in 1544 : we have to recognize him in the printed portrait to identify who is MS, the author of that book.
In 1555, Jean de Tournes publishes a charming collection of poems entitled Euvres, authored by Louize Labé Lionnoize. Its themes are daring for their time, glorifying the sexual and intellectual freedom of women. Her texts are followed by praises written by the poets of the Lyon group.
A copy whose paper remained in a great freshness is estimated € 300K, lot 14 in the first sale of the library of Pierre Bergé in Paris (Drouot) on December 11. The sale is organized by the auction house Pierre Bergé et Associés in cooperation with Sotheby's France.
The young and friendly Louise Labé, 31 years old, is nicknamed La Belle Cordière from the trade of her father and of her husband. It was discovered only fairly recently that her biographical details were not reliable and questions were raised. How did the daughter of a craftsman manage to acquire such a subtle literary heritage ? Is her name only an altered spelling of Louise la Belle ?
The hypothesis of a collective work by the Lyon poets is appealing. Undoubtedly, the carnal love in the poems of "Louise Labé" could draw the attention of the censors on their own writings. It does not matter in fact if Euvres had been prepared by Louise or by the group. They are in any case an outstanding element in the history of French poetry.
SOLD for € 430K before fees
Maurice Scève appears as the leader of this informal Lyonnaise school. It is interesting for understanding the practice of his time to remind that his major work, Délie, was published almost anonymously in 1544 : we have to recognize him in the printed portrait to identify who is MS, the author of that book.
In 1555, Jean de Tournes publishes a charming collection of poems entitled Euvres, authored by Louize Labé Lionnoize. Its themes are daring for their time, glorifying the sexual and intellectual freedom of women. Her texts are followed by praises written by the poets of the Lyon group.
A copy whose paper remained in a great freshness is estimated € 300K, lot 14 in the first sale of the library of Pierre Bergé in Paris (Drouot) on December 11. The sale is organized by the auction house Pierre Bergé et Associés in cooperation with Sotheby's France.
The young and friendly Louise Labé, 31 years old, is nicknamed La Belle Cordière from the trade of her father and of her husband. It was discovered only fairly recently that her biographical details were not reliable and questions were raised. How did the daughter of a craftsman manage to acquire such a subtle literary heritage ? Is her name only an altered spelling of Louise la Belle ?
The hypothesis of a collective work by the Lyon poets is appealing. Undoubtedly, the carnal love in the poems of "Louise Labé" could draw the attention of the censors on their own writings. It does not matter in fact if Euvres had been prepared by Louise or by the group. They are in any case an outstanding element in the history of French poetry.
SOLD for € 430K before fees
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