Hardcore BDSM scenes from the 1700s
Everyone has heard about De Sade’s libertine, rebellious writings and how shocking they were considered at that time. In my country, Italy, many people learned about him thanks to the hardcore movie “Marquise De Sade”, starring Rocco Siffredi, that was made available in all adult cinemas in 1994.
But maybe you still don’t know that the Marquise hired an artist to illustrate his books: obviously, in complete anonymity since at that time you could be imprisoned for this kind of erotic art work. In 1797, a collection of his works was published with 101 copper engravings depicting hardcore sex scenes. Luckily for us, Goliath Books has reproduced 100 of those original erotic images, putting them together without the text in the volume “Marquise De Sade - 100 Erotic Illustrations”.
Looking at the illustrations of Marquise De Sade’s writings
I have the impression that the artist did not know very well where a woman’s vulva is actually located, and how does it look like: girls in the drawings just seem to have a “cut” in their bellies, with no labia nor, obviously, a clitoris. Or he just wanted to make their private parts more visible that if they were hidden between their legs, but I think the first option is more likely. Ah, the patriarchy!
Most of the illustrations look just like someone took a charcoal and a sheet of paper and decided to copy a still from a Pornhub video, very probably from the “Orgy” category.
Other images are clearly depicting BDSM scenes: only, in lieu of the safe restraints and accessories found in sex shops, there are actual chains and floggers made from yarn, rope, or at least I think so. I confess I cringe at certain images of girls hit with a club: I suppose BDSM wasn’t really safe back then. I hope it was at least consensual!
However, I don’t think so: many sources report that the Marquis De Sade used to force maids and servants to perform sexual acts against their will, and was actually condemned to death for mistreatments to some sex workers - but he could escape! I suppose he was one of the most famous sex offenders of history.
You can find the book directly from Goliath here.
Other books: Photographia Erotica Historica
Did you know that some of the first daguerrotypes were nudes? Yes, you guessed it: porn is as old as photography is!
Another masterpiece published by Goliath is a collection of many of those first XXX photos in a precious miniature book, “Photographia Erotica Historica”, leather-bound and gold embossed.
Taking a look at those black and white pics I have the impression to be on a time machine. There’s no Instagram censorship on here, and the beautiful, innocent-looking models proudly show their nipples, even al fresco. Some of them look so young, others are gorgeous despite being completely different from the photoshopped bodies we’re used to see in the media today.
But there’s not only space for nudes in this tiny book: I could see some hardcore images too, depicting oral sex or vaginal penetration.
You can buy this tiny book of marvels here.
Private Nudes by the Italian photographer Leonardo Glauso
This one isn't an historical erotic photography book, but I thought I'd mention it because of its voyeuristic appeal: while some pics are definitely glamourous, exactly like the ones you'd find in Cosmo or other glossy magazines (after all, Leonardo Glauso is a renowned fashion photographer), most of them look just like Snapchat shots, or Instagram posts, just a little too explicit for the social media's strict policies against showing female nipples.
The author, after all, says to have captured those artful sexy shots "specifically for himself".
The feel of the snapshots is very far away from the photoshopped standards of the fashion industry: it showcases the natural beauty of the models. You can see it on the publiser's website here.
After seeing those incredible artworks, if you ask Goliath if they're an erotic publisher, they'll answer "Yes and no". They say that they don't believe in pornography, but in art: and what's the reason because art can't be naked?
In summary, Goliath only chooses to release sex-positive photography books, naughty and explicit but conforming to the high artistic quality standards that you can touch with your hand as soon as you open one of their publications.
Do you know any other sex-positive erotic photography book I should check out? Please let me know in the comments!
Unaffiliated, unsponsored post. Thanks a lot to Goliath for letting me know about their incredible work as a sex-positive publisher, and about those three incredible books!
All images have been provided by Goliath Books and used with permission.