Books

Livre BAUDELAIRE (Charles). Les Fleurs du mal. Pr�c�d�es d'une notice par Th�ophile Gautier. Paris: Michel L�vy fr�res (1868). 1 volume in-12 de (4)-411 pages, frontispice (portrait de l'auteur grav� sur acier par Jean-Denis Nargeot), reliure en demi-chagrin rouge d'�poque, dos � nerfs orn� d'un chiffre couronn� en pied. Troisi�me �dition en partie originale (exemplaire du 1er tirage � la date de 1868). Augment�e de 25 po�mes, dont 11 tir�s des "�paves". Pr�c�d�e d'une longue notice de Th�ophile Gautier et suivie d'un appendice comportant des articles et lettres de 1857, r�unies par Baudelaire � titre de � testimonia �, par Barbey d'Aurevilly, Dulamon, Sainte-Beuve, Charles Asselineau, Custine, Edouard Thierry et Emile Deschamps. Fait partie des OEuvres compl�tes. "Tr�s difficile � rencontrer en reliure d'�poque sans tomaison" selon Clouzot. Coiffe de t�te, mors frott�s, faux-titre d�coup� et restaur�, croix manuscrite � c�t� de certains po�mes, l�g�res rousseurs, d�chirure sans manque de la page 375-376, mouillure claire sur les derni�res pages. Ex-libris manuscrit de Monique de Waren. R�f�rence : Clouzot, Guide du bibliophile fran�ais, 27. Vicaire, Manuel du libraire et de l'amateur de livres I, 349. Couverture rigide/couverture reli�e.

"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.