The first of four collections of poems by Paul Verlaine to be illustrated by Paul-Émile Bécat (three are included on this website, the fourth, Chansons pour elle et odes en son honneur of 1954, being more mundanely illustrated in monochrome), Poèmes d’amour was produced by Bécat’s ‘regular’ publisher Georges Guillot.

The twenty-one hand-coloured drypoint etchings are accompanied by 45 decorative initials designed by Marie Monnier-Bécat. She also designed the title page.

The Guillot edition was produced in an edition of 545 copies, of which 101 de luxe copies included an additional set of etchings with ‘remarques’, small marginal drawings complementing the main image.