The inspiration of King Pausole

23rd March 2017

Pierre Louÿs’ novel Les aventures du Roi Pausole (The Adventures of King Pausole), first published in 1900, might at first glance look like an eighteenth century parody in the style of Voltaire or Diderot. However, Pausole was very much a contemporary work. The king of the country of Tryphême was a… read more

I Modi – the archetypal Italian Renaissance erotic portfolio

23rd February 2017

Pietro Aretino’s Sonetti Lussuriosi (Lustful Sonnets) or I Modi (The Positions), as you will discover when you read about them below, hold a unique position in erotic literature, and in erotic illustration. For many years they were the benchmark, both actual and perceived, for the most daring,… read more