Poet, aesthetician, and hedonist, Charles Pierre Baudelaire was also one of the most radical art critics of his time. In this essay, he explores the concepts of beauty, fashion, dandyism, the purpose of art, and the role of the artist, focusing on the work of the painter Constantin Guys (1802-1892), who, according to Baudelaire, expresses the drama of modern life in the most complete way.

A fundamental essay for the History of Art. Can a book change the world? Yes and no. It can change the way we see ourselves and others, shed light, provoke anger, challenge, comfort. It can inspire discussions, disagreements, and even wars or revolutions, and it can certainly enrich life infinitely.

This series features important texts by great thinkers, pioneers, radicals, and visionaries whose ideas shook societies, disrupted the cultural norms of their time, and shaped the world as we know it today.