Sending Decadentism Dedication. Huysmans (joris-karl) - A Rebours. Eo 1884.

HUYSMANS (Joris-Karl). Backwards. Paris, G. Charpentier et Cie, 1884. One flight. in in-12 format (188 x 123 mm) of 2 ff. n.fol., 294 pp. and 1 f. bl. ''Bradel'' binding from the period in full marbled cardboard, smooth spine decorated with double golden fillets, central golden fleuron, navy morocco title piece, golden title. First edition (devoid of any edition mention). Copy bearing the false title of a precious autograph signed by Huysmans: ''To M. M*** / [signature]''. The Bible of decadentism, yet almost nothing happens in this novel! Indeed, the narration focuses almost entirely on the main character, Des Esseintes, an esthete and eccentric anti-hero, and constitutes more or less a catalog of his likes and dislikes. Verlaine, Baudelaire, Corbière, Mallarmé (whom the work helped to launch into the literary world) are the protagonist's favorite poets. Among novelists, he praises Poe, Flaubert's Salammbô, and especially Villiers de l'Isle Adam. À rebours marks Huysmans' break with Zola's naturalism: most of the themes present in the work are or will be associated with symbolist aesthetics. Des Esseintes appears as the archetype of the young European man suffering from the “sickness of the century”: we can say that the author sees decadence as an overcoming of both romanticism and naturalism. After a turbulent life where he experienced everything that the society of his time could offer him, Des Esseintes retired to a pavilion in Fontenay, in which he brought together the works most precious to him, the objects the rarest, and devotes himself to idleness and study. From all of French and Latin literature, he only retains a small number of authors who satisfy him. He is interested in the paintings of Gustave Moreau, creates refined perfumes, or even a garden of poisonous flowers... The anecdote of the turtle constitutes in many respects a metaphor for the destiny of the main character: he encrusted in the shell of a turtle of precious stones, but it ends up dying shortly after under the weight of the jewels... Rebours constitutes one of the countless sources for Oscar Wilde's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. In addition, this novel was Serge Gainsbourg's bible, his model, his secret reference, and in this respect he could recite entire passages from it, and will also draw inspiration from it for the writing of his literary work Evguénie Sokolov. Some foxing on the edges; as well as rare leaves in the upper margin. Notwithstanding, very good condition.