Marie Catherine Vitalie Rimbaud, ''née'' Cuif, was better known simply as Vitalie Rimbaud, and was the mother of the visionary poet
Arthur Rimbaud
Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud (, ; 20 October 1854 – 10 November 1891) was a French poet known for his transgressive and surreal themes and for his influence on modern literature and arts, prefiguring surrealism. Born in Charleville, he start ...
. She was born on 10 March 1825 and died on 16 November 1907. She met Captain
Frédéric Rimbaud Frédéric Rimbaud (7 October 1814 in Dole – 16 November 1878 in Dijon) was a French infantry officer. He served in the conquest of Algeria, the Crimean War and the Sardinian Campaign. He is best known as the father of the poet Arthur Rimbaud.
...
(1814–1878), a French infantry officer, in October 1852 and married him the following February. They had five children:
* Nicolas Frédéric ("Frédéric"), born 2 November 1853
* the poet,
Jean Nicolas Arthur ("Arthur"), born 20 October 1854
* Victorine Pauline Vitalie, born 4 June 1857 (she died a few weeks later)
*
Jeanne Rosalie Vitalie ("Vitalie"), born 15 June 1858
*
Frédérique Marie Isabelle ("Isabelle"), born 1 June 1860.
Though the marriage lasted seven years, her husband lived continuously in the matrimonial home for less than three months, from February to May 1853. The rest of the time Captain Rimbaud's military postings – including service in the
Crimean War
The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia.
Geopolitical causes of the war included the ...
and the
Sardinian Campaign – meant he returned home to Charleville only when on leave. He was not at home for his children's births, nor their baptisms. After Isabelle's birth in 1860, Captain Rimbaud never returned to the family home. After their separation, Mme, Rimbaud called herself "Widow Rimbaud".
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rimbaud, Vitalie
1825 births
1907 deaths
People from Charleville-Mézières
Arthur Rimbaud