Izabrane pjesme
*Selected poems* by Milan Begović were published as a regular issue of *Matica hrvatska* for 1923 (published in 1925) in Zagreb. The book presents a carefully selected cross-section of Begović's poetry from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The collection opens with the famous poem "Sutonska vuče se tmina", which with its melancholic and sensual tones immediately announces the atmosphere of the entire book. Poems from three earlier collections are included: Knjiga Boccadoro (1900), Život za cara (1904) and Knjiga sunca (1912). This offers the reader an insight into the development of Begović's lyrical expression from early modernism to mature hedonism.
Milan Begović (1876–1948) shows himself in these poems as the supreme aesthete and sensualist of Croatian modernity. His lyrics celebrate the beauty of the body, passion, the moment and southern vitality, imbued with the influences of Italian Renaissance, French symbolism and Dalmatian nature. Rich metaphors, the musical rhythm of the verses, luxurious language and an open erotic charge are the hallmarks of his style. Begović escapes from everyday life into a world of imagination, antiquity and sensual pleasure, but in the background there is often a flickering awareness of the transience of beauty.
This edition presents Begović in his purest poetic essence – as a poet who puts art above all else (l’art pour l’art) and who brought freshness, sensuality and formal refinement to Croatian literature. The book has remained an important part of the canon of Croatian modern lyric poetry and bears witness to the period when Croatian poetry was freeing itself from traditional frameworks.
Today this edition is a sought-after antiquarian copy, and the poems retain their freshness and appeal thanks to their melodiousness and emotional power. An ideal read for lovers of Croatian modern poetry who appreciate erotic, picturesque and life-filled lyrics.
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