L'Impeccable Théophile Gautier et les sacrilèges romantiques

In this vivid portrait, the author navigates the tangled world of 19th‑century French letters, focusing on Théophile Gautier’s rise, his fraught induction into the Académie française, and the paradoxes that defined his public persona. Through a blend of historical detail and literary criticism, the narrative reveals how Gautier’s polished elegance masked an inner chill, earning him both admiration and cold indifference among his peers. The early chapters also trace his mentorship of Charles Baudelaire, highlighting the uneasy transmission of aesthetic ideals.

The book probes deeper questions about morality and art, asking whether a writer can separate aesthetic rigor from the religious conventions of his time. By juxtaposing Gautier’s detached, almost crystalline style with the sensuous, tormented voice of Baudelaire, the author illustrates a generational shift from polished restraint to febrile passion. Readers are treated to vivid anecdotes, from heated Academy debates to personal letters, that illuminate the fragile balance between public expectation and private desire.