Elegancepedia — The Encyclopedia of Elegance

25 September 2026

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Camille Saint-Saëns (born Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns; 9 October 1835 – 16 December 1921)

One of the most naturally gifted musicians of the nineteenth century, he helped restore prestige to French instrumental music while preserving ideals of formal balance, clarity, and craftsmanship. His best-known compositions include

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Elsewhere in the encyclopedia

Painting
Marguerite Kelsey in white column dress painted by Meredith Frampton(17 March 1894 – 16 September 1984)
In 1928, British painter Meredith Frampton RA (17 March 1894 – 16 September 1984) painted the portrait of a woman in white dress, which features bateau neckline, short sleeves
Myth
"Elegance Is Refusal". Did Coco Chanel Really Say It?
"Elegance is refusal" is one of the most repeated sayings in fashion. It is usually credited to Coco Chanel, although no...
Music
Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 75 by Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921)
Camille Saint-Saëns’s First Violin Sonata is a work of restless passion and immaculate elegance. Written in 1885 for the violinist Martin-Pierre Marsick, it moves from dark urgency to lyric intimacy, then ends in a blaze of virtuoso light. The violin and piano are equal partners throughout, creating a conversation that is at once dramatic, tender and brilliantly controlled.