Find out more about the greatest 19th Century French Poets, including Victor Hugo, Guy de Maupassant, Charles Baudelaire, Arthur Rimbaud and Jean Cocteau

Famous 19th Century French Poets

Victor HugoVictor Hugo
26 February 1802
Author & Poet
Charles BaudelaireCharles Baudelaire
09 April 1821
Poet

Arthur RimbaudArthur Rimbaud
20 October 1854
Poet

Guy de MaupassantGuy de Maupassant
05 August 1850
Novelist & Short Story Writer

Jean CocteauJean Cocteau
05 July 1889
Novelist, Poet, Artist & Filmmaker

Paul VerlainePaul Verlaine
30 March 1844
Poet
Stéphane MallarméStéphane Mallarmé
18 March 1842
Poet

Robert W. ServiceRobert W. Service
16 January 1874
Poet & Writer

Alphonse DaudetAlphonse Daudet
13 May 1840
Novelist, Short story writer, playwright, poet
Alfred de MussetAlfred de Musset
11 December 1810
Dramatist, Poet, Novelist

Andre BretonAndre Breton
19 February 1896
Founder of Surrealism
Oscar MiloszOscar Milosz
28 May 1877
Poet

Paul ValeryPaul Valery
30 October 1871
Poet

Guillaume ApollinaireGuillaume Apollinaire
25 August 1880
Poet

Arthur de GobineauArthur de Gobineau
14 July 1816
Racial theorist, Philosopher, Writer, Diplomat,

Tristan TzaraTristan Tzara
16 April 1896
Art collector, Poet, Writer, Diplomat, Film
Charles MaurrasCharles Maurras
20 April 1868
Author

Gaston BachelardGaston Bachelard
27 June 1884
Philosopher, Poet, Writer, University teacher

Alfred JarryAlfred Jarry
08 September 1873
Playwright, Writer, Poet, Novelist

Francis PicabiaFrancis Picabia
22 January 1879
Painter, Writer, Screenwriter, Poet
Adah Isaacs MenkenAdah Isaacs Menken
15 June 1835
Actress

Louis AragonLouis Aragon
03 October 1897
Writer, Journalist, Politician, Poet, Novelist,
Edmond RostandEdmond Rostand
01 April 1868
Playwright, Writer, Poet, Essayist, Screenwriter

François MauriacFrançois Mauriac
11 October 1885
Writer, Journalist, Poet, Novelist, Playwright,

Comte de LautréamontComte de Lautréamont
04 April 1846
Poet, Writer
Paul ClaudelPaul Claudel
06 August 1868
Playwright, Poet, Diplomat, Writer, Diarist, Poet

Max JacobMax Jacob
12 July 1876
Painter, Poet, Writer, Literary critic
Blaise CendrarsBlaise Cendrars
01 September 1887
War correspondent, Journalist, Poet, Writer,

Jean-Henri FabreJean-Henri Fabre
21 December 1823
Entomologist

Pierre LouÿsPierre Louÿs
10 December 1870
Poet
Sully PrudhommeSully Prudhomme
16 March 1839
Poet, Writer, Essayist, Diarist

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Émile BernardÉmile Bernard
28 April 1868
Painter, Poet, Writer
Charles PéguyCharles Péguy
07 January 1873
Poet

Léon BloyLéon Bloy
11 July 1846
Writer, Poet, Essayist, Journalist, Novelist,

Saint-John PerseSaint-John Perse
31 May 1887
Poet, Writer, Diplomat

Henri MichauxHenri Michaux
24 May 1899
Painter, Poet, Writer
Zygmunt KrasińskiZygmunt Krasiński
19 February 1812
Poet
Pierre ReverdyPierre Reverdy
13 September 1889
Poet

Vernon LeeVernon Lee
14 October 1856
Writer

Benjamin FondaneBenjamin Fondane
14 November 1898
Linguist, Poet, Librarian, Film director,

Aloysius BertrandAloysius Bertrand
20 April 1807
Poet
Anna de NoaillesAnna de Noailles
15 November 1876
Writer, Salon-holder, Poet, Model

Francis PongeFrancis Ponge
27 March 1899
Essayist

Alphonse AllaisAlphonse Allais
20 October 1854
Writer, Poet, Journalist, Screenwriter, Painter,

Jules LaforgueJules Laforgue
16 August 1860
Poet

Louis FeuilladeLouis Feuillade
19 February 1873
Director
Henri MurgerHenri Murger
27 March 1822
French author

Edgar QuinetEdgar Quinet
17 February 1803
Historian
Pierre-Jean de BérangerPierre-Jean de Béranger
19 August 1780
Poet

Jules RomainsJules Romains
26 August 1885
Poet

Charles CrosCharles Cros
01 October 1842
Poet
Philippe SoupaultPhilippe Soupault
02 August 1897
French writer

Henri de RégnierHenri de Régnier
28 December 1864
Poet
Remy de GourmontRemy de Gourmont
04 April 1858
Poet

Paul DéroulèdePaul Déroulède
02 September 1846
Author

Anatole Le BrazAnatole Le Braz
02 April 1859
Poet

Catulle MendèsCatulle Mendès
22 May 1841
Poet

Tristan CorbièreTristan Corbière
18 July 1845
Poet
François CoppéeFrançois Coppée
26 January 1842
Poet

Marceline Desbordes-ValmoreMarceline Desbordes-Valmore
20 June 1786
Poet

Francis JammesFrancis Jammes
02 December 1868
Poet

Théodore de BanvilleThéodore de Banville
14 March 1823
Poet
Jean RichepinJean Richepin
04 February 1849
Poet

Valery LarbaudValery Larbaud
29 August 1881
Writer
Paul FortPaul Fort
01 February 1872
Poet

Jules SupervielleJules Supervielle
16 January 1884
Poet

Léon-Paul FargueLéon-Paul Fargue
04 March 1876
Poet
Gustave KahnGustave Kahn
21 December 1859
Poet

Jacques DelilleJacques Delille
22 June 1738
Writer
Jean AicardJean Aicard
04 February 1848
Poet

Pierre Jean JouvePierre Jean Jouve
11 October 1887
Writer

Stanislas de BoufflersStanislas de Boufflers
31 May 1738
Writer
Émile DeschampsÉmile Deschamps
20 February 1791
Poet

Louise-Victorine AckermannLouise-Victorine Ackermann
30 November 1813
Poet
Jacques AudibertiJacques Audiberti
25 March 1899
Playwright

François-Xavier GarneauFrançois-Xavier Garneau
15 June 1809
Notary

Henry BatailleHenry Bataille
04 April 1872
Dramatist

Maurice de GuérinMaurice de Guérin
04 August 1810
Poet
Charles VildracCharles Vildrac
22 November 1882
Author
Népomucène LemercierNépomucène Lemercier
20 April 1771
Poet

Pierre, comte DaruPierre, comte Daru
12 January 1767
French military administrator

Georges de Porto-RicheGeorges de Porto-Riche
20 May 1849
Dramatist

François AndrieuxFrançois Andrieux
06 May 1759
Playwright
Joseph RoumanilleJoseph Roumanille
08 August 1818
Poet

Jacques JasminJacques Jasmin
16 March 1798
Poet

Joseph Albert Alexandre GlatignyJoseph Albert Alexandre Glatigny
21 May 1839
Poet

Louis de FontanesLouis de Fontanes
06 March 1757
Poet

Francis Viélé-GriffinFrancis Viélé-Griffin
26 May 1864
Poet
José Maria de HerediaJosé Maria de Heredia
22 November 1842
Poet