centuriesBaudelaire

Charles Baudelaire was a highly influential French poet, essayist, art critic, and translator. Born in Paris in 1821, he is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in French literature and a key precursor to modernism. His most famous work, Les Fleurs du mal (The Flowers of Evil), published in 1857, caused considerable scandal upon its release due to its frank exploration of themes such as sexuality, death, and urban decay, and several poems were suppressed by the authorities. Baudelaire's poetry is characterized by its formal beauty, its exploration of the duality of human experience (good and evil, beauty and ugliness), and its engagement with the modern city as a subject of artistic contemplation.

Beyond his poetry, Baudelaire was a pioneering critic of art and literature, championing artists like Eugène Delacroix and writing extensively on contemporary Parisian life. His essays, particularly those collected in his posthumously published work Le Spleen de Paris (Paris Spleen), explored the ephemeral nature of modern life and introduced the concept of the "flâneur," the idle stroller observing urban society. Baudelaire also made significant contributions as a translator, most notably his French versions of Edgar Allan Poe's works, which introduced Poe to a wider European audience. His work profoundly influenced subsequent generations of writers and artists, including the Symbolists and Surrealists. Baudelaire died in Paris in 1867, leaving behind a legacy that continues to be studied and celebrated.