Provocative Period Pieces

This selection of works collected by Boston dealer Charles Martignettc is the second in a series we will run over the next few years (the first appeared in October 1980). Martignette has what he believes is the world's largest private collection of erotica. On this spread are reproductions of engravings from a rare eight-volume edition of Casanova's Memoirs, published in Brussels in 1872. The first major illustrative version of the Memoirs, the engravings were based on 279 original drawings by Jean Adolph Chauvet, from which 102 prints were struck by Barraud. One of the copies of the edition, with drawings, was confiscated by U. S. Customs officials in 1946. That copy is now smoking up the stacks in the Library of Congress.

Casanova

the world's greatest lover inspired these prints charming

Artists of various bents, working in various media, often get around to depicting erotic themes. As the creative mind stumbles around looking for something to latch on to, sex just naturally pops up. The items here include both serious and frivolous takes by fine and folk artists. Part of the purpose behind Martignette's voracious collecting is to explore every aspect of erotic representation. And that sometimes shows up in unexpected places. The artistic trick is to make something forbidden commonplace—while presenting it in a new light.