The Classic Collection of Joris-Karl Huysmans. Illustrated

The Classic Collection of Joris-Karl Huysmans brings together some of the most influential works of Joris-Karl Huysmans, one of the leading figures of French Decadent literature and a profound spiritual writer of the late nineteenth century. This illustrated edition includes Against Nature (À rebours), La-Bas, Saint Lydwine of Schiedam, and other remarkable works that trace Huysmans’s extraordinary literary and spiritual journey from aesthetic decadence to religious mysticism. In Against Nature, Huysmans created one of the defining novels of the Decadent movement through the character of Des Esseintes, an aristocratic recluse who withdraws from society into a world of refined artifice, exotic beauty, and intellectual isolation. The novel’s richly detailed style and exploration of aesthetic obsession had a lasting influence on modern literature and symbolism. La-Bas presents a darker and more controversial vision, blending psychological realism with occultism, spiritual crisis, and social criticism. Through its exploration of Satanism, moral decay, and the search for faith in modern society, the novel reflects Huysmans’s growing religious concerns and philosophical transformation. In contrast, Saint Lydwine of Schiedam reveals the author’s later spiritual devotion through a moving account of the mystical life, suffering, and sanctity of the Dutch saint Lidwina. Combining historical narrative with profound religious reflection, the work demonstrates Huysmans’s deep engagement with Catholic spirituality and mysticism. Rich in psychological depth, artistic sensitivity, and spiritual insight, this collection offers readers a compelling portrait of a writer whose works bridge decadence, symbolism, realism, and religious contemplation, securing Joris-Karl Huysmans’s place among the most original voices of modern French literature. Contents: -Against Nature -La-Bas -The Cathedral -En Route -Saint Lydwine of Schiedam