Antoine de Baif

Jean Antoine de Baïf, born in 1532 in Venice, was a luminary of the French Renaissance, renowned as a poet and a key member of the influential literary group, the Pléiade. As the illegitimate son of diplomat Lazare de Baïf, he inherited a love for language and culture, becoming a humanist scholar and a translator of classical Greek and Roman works. Active during the reign of King Henry II, Baïf played a pivotal role in elevating the French language as a literary force. His magnum opus, "Euvres en rime," published in 1572, encapsulates over two decades of his poetic brilliance. Baïf's legacy endures through his contributions to French literature and his enduring influence on the literary world.