Jean Lorrain (
August 29,
1855,
Fécamp,
Seine-Maritime -
June 30,
1906), born
Paul Duval, was a
French poet and novelist of the
Symbolist school.
Lorrain was a dedicated disciple of
dandyism, and (for the times) openly gay. Lorrain wrote a number of collections of verse, including
La forêt bleue (1883) and
L'ombre ardente, (1897). He is also remembered for his
decadent novels and short stories, such as
Monsieur de Phocas (1901) and
Histoires des masques (1900), as well as for one of his best novels,
Sonyeuse, which he links to portraits exhibited by
Antonio de La Gandara in 1893.