Hippolyte-Louis Guérin de Litteau (5 May 1797 – 19 December 1861) was a 19th-century French poet.
Biography
Born in
Litteau
Litteau () is a Communes of France, commune in the Calvados (department), Calvados Departments of France, department in the Normandy (administrative region), Normandy Regions of France, region in northwestern France. The 19th-century poet Hippol ...
, Calvados, from a family established since the 17th century in Normandy (descendant of a captain of the bourgeois of the City of Bayeux), born in the castle of Litteau, Guérin was the son of the owner and director of several metallurgical establishments, managing himself the business of the blast furnaces of
Montluçon
Montluçon (; oc, Montleçon ) is a commune in central France on the river Cher. It is the largest commune in the Allier department, although the department's prefecture is located in the smaller town of Moulins. Its inhabitants are known as ...
of which he was one of the founders. His activity led him to reside for about twenty years in the
Nivernais
Nivernais (, ) was a province of France, around the city of Nevers, which forms the modern department of Nièvre. It roughly coincides with the former Duchy of Nevers.Decize, where he found many sources of inspiration.
From 1843, still on business, Guérin joined Paris. - biographic notice in ''Légendes'', 1863
A well-known writer and appreciated by musicians, his poetry inspired many composers during the Second French Empire and the French Third Republic.
Guérin is buried at the Père Lachaise Cemetery (58th division). His daughter married sculptor
Eugène-Louis Lequesne
Eugène-Louis Lequesne (or Le Quesne) (15 February 1815 – 3 June 1887) was a French sculptor. Lequesne was born and died in Paris. In 1841, he entered the École nationale des beaux-arts, in James Pradier's workshop. In 1843, he won th ...
.
His memory is kept by the owners of the castle of Litteau, cradle of the family, and by the Guérin descendants, at the castle of Salornay in Hurigny (Saône-et-Loire).