Books

4to, 10 1/8 x 7 3/8 inches (258 x 188 mm); pp. 292 + vi + advertisement; uncut and partly unopened. Softcover in original paper wrapper with glassine overcover, slipcase with red marbled paper, bumped on corners. Some signatures loose. This is copy no. 7 of 80 copies printed on IMPERIAL JAPAN (initialled and numbered by the publisher on the limitation page), containing THREE STATES of each etching, one is the raw state, the second state with notations and/or remarques in the margins, and the third is the final state, tissue guards throughout. The 16 full-page illustrations and 6 headers were designed by Georges Rochegrosse and etched by Eug�ne Decisy; the 16 tailpieces are wood-engravings by Ernest Florian. A hand-colored medallion appears on the front cover and another on the title page. This copy includes an EXTRA ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR SIGNED BY ROCHEGROSSE, corresponding to the illustration inset p. 198 for the poem �� une passante�, in the "Tableaux parisiens" thematic section. The sample subscription illustrated with an additional engraving has been attached. [BNF n�: FRBNF31773854]. A gem from The Library of Guy Bigorie: Small ticket with GB initials tipped in to fly-leaf preceding half title. This copy was preserved in the original format as issued by the publisher. Considered one of the masterpieces of French literature, Les Fleurs du Mal was first published in 1857 and includes nearly all of Baudelaire's poetry. It was very controversial upon publication and both Baudelaire and the publisher were prosecuted under the regime of the Second Empire as an "an insult to public decency", and the author was fined 300 francs. Six poems from the work were suppressed and the ban on their publication was not lifted in France until 1949. Baudelaire forcefully broke with classicism, to free aesthetics from any moral or ethical consideration. His poems are based on observations of real life and delve into themes of melancholy, original sin, evil, death, sacred and prophane love, eroticism, decadence, lost innocence, the corruption of the city, and the longing for an ideal world. This edition is illustrated by Georges Rochegrosse (1859 1938), a historical and decorative painter, known for his colossal scale and emotional naturalistic style. His works were often sensational: some quite dark and brutal, others colorful, lofty, and ethereal. He was awarded the L�gion d'Honneur in 1892.

"Les Fleurs du mal" (The Flowers of Evil) is a seminal work by Charles Baudelaire, first published in 1857. It stands as one of the most influential collections of poetry in the modernist movement, exploring the complexities of beauty, decadence, and the ephemeral nature of happiness within the urban landscape of 19th-century Paris. Baudelaire delves into themes of love, despair, existential angst, and the search for transcendence, using vivid imagery and innovative poetic techniques to convey his insights and emotions. The collection is renowned for its exploration of the concept of "spleen," a term Baudelaire uses to describe a deep sense of melancholy and disillusionment. This mood is contrasted with the "Ideal," representing moments of beauty, joy, and spiritual elevation. "Les Fleurs du mal" captures the duality of human experience—the coexistence of light and darkness, purity and corruption. Baudelaire's poems navigate the reader through the gritty realities of urban life, touching on themes of alienation, moral decadence, and the impact of industrialization, while also seeking beauty in the mundane and the morbid. Baudelaire's work caused a scandal upon its release, leading to a public obscenity trial and the condemnation of six of the poems, which were only reinstated in later editions after his death. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, "Les Fleurs du mal" has endured as a masterpiece of French literature, influencing countless poets and artists with its complex portrayal of human nature and its pioneering use of symbolist imagery. Through "Les Fleurs du mal," Baudelaire not only reshaped the landscape of poetic form and expression but also offered a haunting, visionary response to the discontents of modern life.