Émaux et camées

Émaux et camées is a collection of poems by Théophile Gautier, first published in 1852. Gautier, a poet, novelist, and critic, was a key figure in French literature, influencing the transition from Romanticism to aestheticism and naturalism. He is best known as an advocate of "art for art's sake," believing that art should not serve any purpose beyond its own beauty and form.

In Émaux et camées, Gautier focused on creating "literary miniatures," drawing inspiration from the visual arts. He aimed to capture precise impressions of form, color, and texture, often using strict poetic forms like the octosyllabic quatrain. The poems are characterized by their ornamental elaboration and their focus on aesthetic perfection rather than social or moral commentary.12