Alphonse Lemerre
Encyclopedia
Alphonse Lemerre
Alphonse Lemerre (Canisy, Normandy
, France
, 1838 – Paris
, France, 1912) was a 19th-century French editor and publisher, known especially for having been the first to publish many of the Parnassian poets.
. In 1860, he moved to Paris and quickly rose to prominence, becoming the "Prince de l'édition" (Prince of the Edition, or Prince of Editors) and made his publisher's mark famous, which had the Latin
motto
Fac et spera ("Agis et espère" in French, "Do and Hope" in English). He opened a library at 23 passage Choiseul. His library occupied also other odd number addresses (23-33, 47).
In 1865, he began to edit Parnassian poets in Louis-Xavier de Ricard
's revue L’Art, which had ten issues between November 2, 1865, and January 6, 1866. The November issue had an article by Paul Verlaine
about Baudelaire. In 1866, Lemerre published Le Parnasse contemporain
, a collection of new poetry, in 18 weekly installments from 30 March to 30 June 1866, the collected installments published in October. Two other volumes of Le Paranasse Contemporain appeared in 1871 and 1876.
He went on to publish numerous collections. Lemerre's publications include many of the chefs-d’œuvre of 19th century French literature and history: Anatole France
, Auguste Molinier
, Louis Petit de Julleville
; la Petite Bibliothèque littéraire, la Bibliothèque des curieux, la Bibliothèque illustrée, la Bibliothèque dramatique, la Petite collection pour la jeunesse, les poèmes nationaux, des livres d’enseignement and other collections.
He was a mayor of Ville d'Avray, a Republicain in politics, anticlerical. He was very attached to his native Normandy. He went there often (to Canisy, to the Château de Montmirel and to Coutainville
) and had several properties there (Dangy
, Dais, Méterville).
In 1965, the inheritors of his estate closed the Lemerre publishing house.
authors and anthologies.
Collections:
Anthologies:
Alphonse Lemerre (Canisy, Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 1838 – Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France, 1912) was a 19th-century French editor and publisher, known especially for having been the first to publish many of the Parnassian poets.
Life
Alphonse Lemerre was the eighth child of his parents. In 1850, at age 12, he was an errand-boy in Saint-LôSaint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
. In 1860, he moved to Paris and quickly rose to prominence, becoming the "Prince de l'édition" (Prince of the Edition, or Prince of Editors) and made his publisher's mark famous, which had the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
Fac et spera ("Agis et espère" in French, "Do and Hope" in English). He opened a library at 23 passage Choiseul. His library occupied also other odd number addresses (23-33, 47).
In 1865, he began to edit Parnassian poets in Louis-Xavier de Ricard
Louis-Xavier de Ricard
Louis-Xavier de Ricard was a French poet, author and journalist of the 19th century. He was founder and editor of La Revue du progrès which was the first to publish a poem by Paul Verlaine in August 1863...
's revue L’Art, which had ten issues between November 2, 1865, and January 6, 1866. The November issue had an article by Paul Verlaine
Paul Verlaine
Paul-Marie Verlaine was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the fin de siècle in international and French poetry.-Early life:...
about Baudelaire. In 1866, Lemerre published Le Parnasse contemporain
Le Parnasse contemporain
Le Parnasse contemporain is composed of three volumes of poetry collections, published in 1866, 1871 and 1876 by the editor Alphonse Lemerre, which included a hundred French poets, such as Leconte de Lisle, Théodore de Banville, Heredia, Gautier, Catulle Mendès, Baudelaire, Sully Prudhomme,...
, a collection of new poetry, in 18 weekly installments from 30 March to 30 June 1866, the collected installments published in October. Two other volumes of Le Paranasse Contemporain appeared in 1871 and 1876.
He went on to publish numerous collections. Lemerre's publications include many of the chefs-d’œuvre of 19th century French literature and history: Anatole France
Anatole France
Anatole France , born François-Anatole Thibault, , was a French poet, journalist, and novelist. He was born in Paris, and died in Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire. He was a successful novelist, with several best-sellers. Ironic and skeptical, he was considered in his day the ideal French man of letters...
, Auguste Molinier
Auguste Molinier
August Molinier was a French historian.He was born at Toulouse. He was a pupil at the École des Chartes, which he left in 1873, and also at the École des Hautes Études; and he obtained appointments in the public libraries at the Mazarine , at Fontainebleau , and at Sainte-Geneviève, of which he...
, Louis Petit de Julleville
Louis Petit de Julleville
Louis Petit de Julleville was a French scholar. He was born in Paris.Educated at the École Normale Supérieure, and at the French School at Athens, he received his doctorate in literature in 1868...
; la Petite Bibliothèque littéraire, la Bibliothèque des curieux, la Bibliothèque illustrée, la Bibliothèque dramatique, la Petite collection pour la jeunesse, les poèmes nationaux, des livres d’enseignement and other collections.
He was a mayor of Ville d'Avray, a Republicain in politics, anticlerical. He was very attached to his native Normandy. He went there often (to Canisy, to the Château de Montmirel and to Coutainville
Agon-Coutainville
Agon-Coutainville is a commune in the Manche department in the Basse-Normandie region in north-western France.-Heraldry:...
) and had several properties there (Dangy
Dangy
Dangy is a commune in the Manche department in north-western France....
, Dais, Méterville).
In 1965, the inheritors of his estate closed the Lemerre publishing house.
Selection of authors edited by Alphonse Lemerre
Alphonse Lemerre is especially known for having published Parnassian poets. But he also published Classical and RomanticRomanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
authors and anthologies.
- Théophile GautierThéophile GautierPierre Jules Théophile Gautier was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, art critic and literary critic....
- Théodore de BanvilleThéodore de BanvilleThéodore Faullain de Banville was a French poet and writer.-Biography:Banville was born in Moulins in Allier, Auvergne, the son of a captain in the French navy. His boyhood, by his own account, was cheerlessly passed at a lycée in Paris; he was not harshly treated, but took no part in the...
- Charles Marie René Leconte de Lisle
- François CoppéeFrançois CoppéeFrançois Edouard Joachim Coppée was a French poet and novelist.-Biography:He was born in Paris to a civil servant. After attending the Lycée Saint-Louis he became a clerk in the ministry of war, and won public favour as a poet of the Parnassian school. His first printed verses date from 1864...
- Léon DierxLeon DierxLéon Dierx was a French poet born in the island of La Réunion in 1838. He came to Paris to study at the Central School of Arts and Manufactures and subsequently settled there, taking up a post in the education office. He became a disciple of Leconte de Lisle and one of the most distinguished of...
- José-Maria de Heredia
- Jean Lahor
- Victor de LapradeVictor de LapradePierre Martin Victor Richard de Laprade , known as Victor de Laprade, was a French poet and critic.-Biography:...
- Catulle MendèsCatulle MendèsCatulle Mendès was a French poet and man of letters.Of Portuguese Jewish extraction, he was born in Bordeaux. He early established himself in Paris and promptly attained notoriety by the publication in the Revue fantaisiste of his Roman d'une nuit, for which he was condemned to a month's...
- Sully PrudhommeSully PrudhommeRené François Armand Prudhomme was a French poet and essayist, winner of the first Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1901....
- Paul VerlainePaul VerlainePaul-Marie Verlaine was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the fin de siècle in international and French poetry.-Early life:...
Collections:
- Le Parnasse contemporainLe Parnasse contemporainLe Parnasse contemporain is composed of three volumes of poetry collections, published in 1866, 1871 and 1876 by the editor Alphonse Lemerre, which included a hundred French poets, such as Leconte de Lisle, Théodore de Banville, Heredia, Gautier, Catulle Mendès, Baudelaire, Sully Prudhomme,...
, recueil de vers nouveaux. I- 1866, II- 1869-1871, III- 1876
Anthologies:
- Anthologie des poètes français depuis les origines jusqu'à la fin du XVIIIe siècle.
- Anthologie des poètes français, XIXe siècle.
- Sonnets et eaux fortes, 1869, premier livre de peintres paru en France grâce au critique d’art Philippe Burty.
- Le Livre des Sonnets.
- Le Livre des Ballades.