Work by Paul Serusier, "Mignonne lets see if the Rose", from 1910 on a poem by Pierre de Ronsard from 1549.
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"Sweetheart let see if the Rose
Which this morning had hatched
Her purple dress in the Sun,
Did not lose this vesper
The folds of her purple dress,
And his complexion is just like yours.
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The ace ! see how in a little space,
Cute, she's got the place
The ace ! weary of its beauties left to fall!
O truly stepmother Nature,
Since such a flower does not last
Only from morning until evening!
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So if you believe me, cutie,
As your age blooms
In its greenest novelty,
Pick, pick your youth:
Like this flower, old age
Will tarnish your beauty."
Cassandre Salviati was not 14 years old when she capsized the heart of Ronsard, aged 21. Coming from a noble family of Italian bankers, she met him at a Court ball
of François I in 1545.
Ronsard made her his muse and dedicated an entire collection to her: “Les Amours de Cassandre” which appeared in 1552.
On September 11, 1524, one of the greatest French poets of his time, Pierre de Ronsard, was born in Vendômois. Baptized “prince of poets and poet of princes”, Pierre de Ronsard left his mark on French Renaissance literature.
In 1547, Pierre de Ronsard met Joachin du Bellay with whom he founded the Pléiade movement. His style is colorful and revolutionizes the rhythm of the time, imposing a new versification. Ronsard published Les Odes (1550) at the age of 26 and success was not long in coming. Two years later, his collection Les Amours (1552), from which his famous poem Mignonne, lets see if the rose... was taken, placed him among the elite of poets. It was during this time that he earned his nickname "Prince of Poets". Pierre de Ronsard subsequently became a poet and chaplain to King Charles IV, who offered him, in 1565, the priory of Saint Cosme. This gift allowed Ronsard to be able to move away from the court and concentrate on writing his poetic works.
After a career as a committed poet, Pierre de Ronsard died of illness in December 1585, surrounded by his friends. He is buried in the crypt of the priory church of Saint-Cosme, now in ruins.
Paul Serusier, “Mignonne lets see if the Rose”, 1910