Albert Samain facts for kids
Albert Victor Samain (born April 3, 1858 – died August 18, 1900) was a French poet and writer. He was part of the Symbolist movement, a style of art where artists used symbols to express ideas and emotions.
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Life of Albert Samain
Albert Samain was born in Lille, France. His family was Flemish and had lived in the area for many years. When Albert was born, his parents ran a business selling "wines and spirits."
Sadly, Albert's father died when Albert was very young. This meant he had to leave school and start working to earn money. Around 1880, he moved to Paris.
Samain's Literary Journey
In Paris, Albert Samain's poetry became popular. He started meeting other avant-garde (new and experimental) writers and artists. He even recited his poems in public at a famous place called Le Chat Noir.
His poems were greatly influenced by other well-known poets like Charles Baudelaire and Paul Verlaine. Samain's works often had a thoughtful, sometimes sad, and dream-like feeling. He enjoyed using vague and unclear images in his writing.
Albert Samain also helped start an important literary magazine called Mercure de France. He also worked for another well-known magazine, Revue des Deux Mondes.
Published Works and Legacy
Samain published three collections of his poems:
- Au Jardin de l'Infante (1893) – This book made him famous.
- Aux flancs du vase (1898)
- Le Chariot d'or (1901)
He also wrote a play in verse called Polyphème. A composer named Jean Cras later set this play to music. Albert Samain died at the age of 42 from tuberculosis, a serious lung disease.
Musical Settings of Samain's Poetry
Many composers were inspired by Albert Samain's poems and turned them into songs or musical pieces. Some of these composers include:
- Lili Boulanger
- Nadia Boulanger
- Alfredo Casella
- Édouard Devernay
- George Enescu
- Gabriel Fauré
- Swan Hennessy
- Charles Koechlin
- Jacques Leguerney
- Adela Maddison
- Georges Migot
- Paul Paray
- Ottorino Respighi
- Adrien Rougier
- Camille Saint-Saëns
- Alice Sauvrezis
- Marcelle Soulage
Images for kids
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Portrait of Albert Samain by Félix Vallotton (1896).
See also
In Spanish: Albert Samain para niños
