Books

Paris: Michel Lévy frères, 1868. Fine. Michel Lévy frères, Paris 1868, 12x18cm, relié. - Troisième édition en partie originale car enrichie de 25 poèmes, précédée d'une longue notice de Théophile Gautier et suivie d'un appendice comportant des articles et lettres de 1857, réunies par Baudelaire à titre de « testimonia », par Barbey d'Aurevilly, Dulamon, Sainte-Beuve, Charles Asselineau, Custine, Edouard Thierry et Emile Deschamps. Ouvrage illustré, en frontispice, d'un portrait sur acier de Charles Baudelaire par Nargeot. Un des rares exemplaires de première émission avec le titre à la bonne date de 1868 et sans mention d'édition. Cette édition définitive totalise à présent 151 poèmes, contre 100 pour l'édition de 1857 et 129 pour la seconde. Parmi les nouveaux poèmes, 11 sont issus des Epaves. Bien que désirée et préparée par Charles Baudelaire, cette dernière édition sera réalisée et mise en forme par Théodore de…

"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.