Les Fleurs du mal: Introduction
Baudelaire first published Les Fleurs du mal in 1857. The title was suggested by Hippolyte Babou, a literary critic and friend of Baudelaire. This first edition was published by Poulet-Malassis and contained poems written by Baudelaire over the previous ten years. Only 1,100 copies of this first edition were issued. The perverse and seemingly irreligious imagery of some of Les Fleurs du mal caught the attention of the censors, and Baudelaire was put on trial. Although he was found innocent of offending religion, Baudelaire was fined for “outrage à la morale publique” on the basis mainly of sexual imagery, and six of the poems in the first edition were banned. Baudelaire published a second edition containing 35 new poems in 1861. Théodore de Banville compiled a third posthumous edition in 1868.
When reflecting on the Baudelaire’s work, one becomes fascinated not only by his personality but also by his interest in and knowledge of literature and the arts, such as painting, sculpture and music. This exhibition brings together literary pieces and works of art that either inspired Baudelaire or played a significant role in his legacy.