Délie

Maurice Scève, a central figure of the Lyon School during the Renaissance, was born into a prominent bourgeois family. His father was a judge and municipal officer – appointed as Lyon's ambassador to the court upon the accession of François I to the throne - whilst his cousin, Guillaume, was a noted humanist. Scève’s early exposure to influential figures in the arts and humanities, including Clément Marot and Étienne Dolet, shaped his intellectual and artistic development.

Scève's literary prowess was recognized in 1535 when he won the ‘Blasons’ competition. His works were deeply influenced by Antiquity, particularly Plato, and by Petrarch, and drew on various sources, incorporating elements from the Great Rhetoricians, and Dante, and also biblical motifs. His poetic style, characterized by an intricate writing technique and dense metaphors, was a confluence of various influences ranging from “dolce stil nuovo” poets to the troubadours.

His magnum opus, "Délie," was published in 1544. This collection of 449 decasyllabic verses, interspersed with 50 emblems, is a complex exploration of unrequited love, often linked to one Pernette du Guillet. Each emblem in "Délie" consists of an engraving, a motto, and a geometric frame, with the themes of these emblems guiding the subsequent stanzas.

In 1547, Scève published "Saulsaye, Eclogue de la vie solitaire", a poem that reflects on solitude, influenced by Petrarch and Sannazar. Scève’s writing, known for its elliptical expressions and enigmatic erudition, was both admired and criticized in his time. While praised by some for its rich invention, others found it overly hermetic.

Despite his significant contributions, Scève shunned public honours and seldom signed his works. The last recorded mention of him was at a relative's wedding on June 22, 1563. His influence waned due to changing literary tastes, but he is now recognized for his role in developing “pure poetry,” connecting him to later movements like Symbolism.

More by this author