Books

Paris: Poulet-Malassis et de Broise, 1857. First Edition. Near Fine. First edition, first printing containing the six suppressed poems: "Les Bijoux", "Le Léthé", "A celle qui est trop gaie", "Lesbos", "Femmes damnées", and "Les Métamorphoses du vampire." With the following issue points: "Feurs" in the headline on pp. 31 and 108; with p. 45 misnumbered 44, and with the last word of the first line on p. 201 "captieux" instead of "capiteux." The first edition of Les Fleurs du mal consisted of 1,300 copies, 200 of which were seized and mutilated after the six "notorious" poems were censored. Bound in full brown morocco with matching marbled-sided slipcase lined in brown morocco by Rene Lieffer, with original second state pale yellow wraps with rear wrap announcing Les Fleurs du Mal bound in. Extra-illustrated with 12 later plates bound in between the title page and first chapter. The extra plates include etchings, engravings, and photographic plates; two of them…

"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.

A true first edition can be identified by the absence of the publisher's address on the title page, and it includes 6 banned poems that were not present in subsequent editions.