Paul Armand Silvestre (18 April 1837 – 19 February 1901) was a 19th-century French poet and conteur born in Paris. He studied at the École polytechnique with the intention of entering the army, but in 1870, he entered the department of finance. Silvestre had a successful official career, was decorated with the Legion of Honour in 1886, and in 1892, was made inspector of fine arts. Armand Silvestre made his entry into literature as a poet and was reckoned among the Parnassians.

Works

Armand Silvestre's works were published mainly by Alphonse Lemerre and Gervais Charpentier. Some of his poems were set to music by Gabriel Fauré, under the form of mélodies for one voice and piano (Le Secret, L'Automne...). Thirteen of his poems were set by André Messager. Silvestre's poem Jours Passés was set in music by Léo Delibes under the title Regrets.

Poetry

His volumes of verse include: The poet was also a contributor to Gil Blas and other Parisian journals, distinguishing himself by the licence he permitted himself. To these "absences" from poetry, as Henri Chantavoine calls them, belong the seven volumes of La Vie pour rire (1881–1883), Contes pantagruéliques et galants (1884), Le Livre des joyeusetés (1884), Gauloiseries nouvelles (1888), &c.

Prose

Theatre and librettos

An account of his varied and somewhat incongruous production is hardly complete without mention of his art criticism. Le Nu au Salon (1888–1892), in five volumes, with numerous illustrations, was followed by other volumes of the same type. He died at Toulouse, February 19, 1901.