390.00€
A Wartime Masterpiece of Greek Bibliophily
Among the most elusive literary publications of twentieth-century Greece, this remarkable volume occupies a unique place in the history of Greek printing, translation, and book illustration.
Published in January 1944, during the German occupation of Greece, Πενήντα από τα περίφημα Άνθη του Κακού του Charles Baudelaire (Fifty of the Famous Flowers of Evil by Charles Baudelaire) was translated, illustrated, and entirely designed by the distinguished painter, engraver, caricaturist, and writer Antonis Protopatsis (1897–1947).
Issued in Mytilene by the Tachydromos Printing House, this was never intended as a commercial publication. Deeply concerned that years of artistic and literary work might disappear amid the uncertainty of war, Protopatsis privately printed only 150 numbered copies, distributing them exclusively among close friends, fellow artists, and members of the island’s intellectual circle.
Today, surviving copies are exceptionally scarce.
Rather than translating the entirety of Les Fleurs du Mal, Protopatsis carefully selected fifty poems that he believed best represented Baudelaire’s poetic vision.
The translation is accompanied by his own original artistic conception, making the volume far more than a literary translation. Every element—from the expressive woodcut illustrations and decorative ornaments to the typography and cover design—was created under his artistic direction, transforming the book into a true livre d’artiste.
The translation itself was long admired among Greek bibliophiles and remained largely inaccessible until it was reissued decades later.
Born in Mytilene in 1897, Antonis Protopatsis studied briefly at the Athens School of Fine Arts before returning to Lesvos. His artistic talent soon brought him recognition beyond Greece.
During the 1920s and 1930s he lived in Paris, contributing illustrations and political cartoons to leading French newspapers and journals including Le Figaro, Le Journal, and Les Nouvelles Littéraires, while signing his artistic work with the pseudonym “Pazzi.”
Following his return to Greece in 1939, he continued to paint, write, translate, and produce political cartoons until his death in 1947.
This particular copy bears Antonis Protopatsis’ original handwritten presentation inscription to his friend Kostas Kontos, considerably enhancing its historical interest and establishing an intimate connection with the literary and artistic circles of wartime Mytilene.
Presentation copies of publications limited to only 150 examples are rarely encountered and represent some of the most desirable forms of bibliophilic provenance.
Author: Charles Baudelaire (1821–1867)
Translator, Illustrator & Designer: Antonis Protopatsis (Pazzi)
Title:
Πενήντα από τα περίφημα Άνθη του Κακού του Charles Baudelaire
Publisher:
Tachydromos Printing House
Place of Publication:
Mytilene (Lesvos), Greece
Date:
January 1944
Edition:
First Greek edition of this selection
Limitation:
Only 150 copies printed
Binding:
Original illustrated publisher’s wrappers
Good original condition.
The original wrappers remain well preserved, displaying only light wear consistent with age. The interior is complete, clean, and firmly bound. Considering both the fragile nature of wartime paper and the exceptionally small print run, this copy has survived remarkably well.
Please examine the accompanying photographs carefully, as they form part of the description.
Few twentieth-century Greek books combine so many qualities sought by collectors:
For collectors of Greek literature, artists’ books, private press editions, Symbolist poetry, or wartime printing, this is not simply a scarce book—it is an important cultural artifact from one of the most difficult yet creatively resilient periods of modern Greek history.
