95.00€
A beautiful and collectible first edition of Ο Μικρός Ναυτίλος (O Mikros Naftilos / The Little Mariner), by the distinguished Greek poet and Nobel Prize laureate Odysseas Elytis.
Published in Athens in 1985 by the prestigious Ikaros Publishing Company, this important work represents one of the major achievements of Elytis’s later literary period. Combining poetry and prose, it is a deeply personal and philosophical exploration of Greek identity, historical memory, freedom, beauty and human existence.
The volume features a beautiful frontispiece by Gerasimos Steris, the acclaimed Greek modernist artist, adding an important artistic dimension to this edition.
Throughout the book, Elytis moves between the present and the distant past, bringing together references to ancient Greece, Byzantium, the Greek War of Independence and more recent historical experiences. Literary and spiritual figures such as Sappho, Romanos the Melodist and Andreas Kalvos enrich this complex poetic universe.
The natural landscape of Greece occupies a central role: the Aegean Sea, the islands, the whitewashed architecture and the intense Mediterranean sunlight become symbols of purification, self-discovery and spiritual freedom. For Elytis, this landscape is not simply an object of nostalgia, but an essential part of human existence and identity.
At the same time, the work confronts the darker aspects of Greek history, including violence, oppression and internal conflict. Art emerges as an act of justice and liberation, defending the human spirit against the forces that threaten its freedom.
Bibliographical Details
Condition
Very good vintage condition. A well-preserved collectible copy. Please examine the photographs carefully for a detailed impression of the actual item’s condition, as they form an integral part of the description.
About the Author
Odysseas Elytis (1911–1996), born Odysseas Alepoudellis, was one of the most influential figures in modern Greek literature. A poet, essayist, translator and intellectual, he became a leading exponent of romantic modernism, combining surrealist influences with the mythology, history and cultural traditions of Greece.
His poetic imagination is inseparable from the Mediterranean landscape: the light, the sun, the Aegean Sea, the islands and the ancient ruins. His work explores the relationship between nature, memory, history and spiritual freedom.
His masterpiece Άξιον Εστί (To Axion Esti, 1959) remains a landmark of twentieth-century poetry. In 1979, Elytis was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his outstanding contribution to world literature.
A highly desirable first edition of an important work by Greece’s Nobel Prize-winning poet, featuring artwork by Gerasimos Steris. An excellent collectible for admirers of modern Greek poetry, twentieth-century literature and Greek art.
