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Spleen (IV)

"Spleen (IV)" is a famous poem, written by Charles Baudelaire in 1857.

"Spleen" in poetry is a kind of a melancholic feeling mixed with anxiety of existing. The word itself actually refers to the human organ: at the time, it was believed that it was producing black bile, inducing these negative feelings.

 

I happen to own a 1900 edition of the Baudelaire's book: I am holding it in the photo, opened at this poem's page. From there, I tried to represent a situation illustrating the kind of emotion communicated by the text.

 

All the 13 photos blended in this picture were shot by myself: some outdoors (water cascades, sea, sky, birds) and some indoors at home (book, rose, characters).

 

I do realize that this image's atmosphere is not exactly joyful and smiling, but I sure hope that some will still enjoy it.

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Uploaded on June 3, 2011