French Literature Reviews - 2026

X. d'Hérouville, L'Idéal moderne selon Charles Baudelaire & Théodore Chassériau
Art and Visual Culture

Xavier d'Hérouville, L'Idéal moderne selon Charles Baudelaire & Théodore Chassériau

Paris: L'Harmattan, 2016.

114 p.

EAN 9782343092966

13.00 EUR

Publisher's overview:

The Romantic movement that shook the first half of the nineteenth century strived to be resolutely modern, and accordingly sought to break free from the rigid foundations of academic beauty in favor of the much freer realms of aesthetics. Two Children of the Century, two prodigies in their respective arts—poetry and painting—Charles Baudelaire and Théodore Chassériau, share their insights into the ideal of an era in which both burned the wings of their youth.

The nineteenth century witnessed a profound transformation in European arts, as creators sought to distance themselves from traditional academic standards to embrace new aesthetic possibilities. This period of artistic ferment fostered intense dialogue across disciplines, notably linking the evolution of verse with developments in the visual arts. Writers and painters alike grappled with the demands of a changing society, striving to capture the elusive spirit of their time through innovative forms of expression. Such explorations reflected a broader cultural ambition to redefine beauty and modernity amid shifting intellectual landscapes.

The Romantic movement that shook the first half of the nineteenth century strived to be resolutely modern, and accordingly sought to break free from the rigid foundations of academic beauty in favor of the much freer realms of aesthetics. Xavier d'Hérouville's L'Idéal moderne selon Charles Baudelaire & Théodore Chassériau presents insights from poetry and painting regarding the ideal of an era. Readers interested in nineteenth-century French literature, painting, and the intersections of poetry and the visual arts may find this concise volume relevant to their inquiries.