Pierre Louÿs's Erotic Oeuvre: A Scholarly Obsession
A new volume of Pierre Louÿs's erotic writings, published by Robert Laffont in the 'Bouquins' collection, offers a glimpse into his lifelong, methodical production of pornographic literature. Louÿs, a talented writer and dedicated pornographer, produced a dual body of work over thirty years: published texts and more personal, unpublished versions. After his death in 1925, thousands of pages remained hidden, with his wife selling manuscripts piecemeal. The current collection, prefaced by Jean-Paul Goujon, includes works like the 'Catalogue chronologique et descriptif des femmes avec qui j'ai couché' and 'Enculées', revealing Louÿs's encyclopedic approach. He envisioned an anthropological project on sexuality, akin to a 'Dakar-Djibouti mission' in brothels. The review also highlights Mauricio Ortiz's 'Du corps', a playful encyclopedia of the body, and Frédéric Cousinié's 'Esthétique des fluides dans la peinture française du 17e siècle'.
Key facts
- Pierre Louÿs produced erotic writings for thirty years, with both published and unpublished versions.
- The new volume 'Œuvre érotique' is published by Robert Laffont in the 'Bouquins' collection.
- Louÿs died in 1925; his unpublished manuscripts were sold by his wife after his death.
- The collection includes a preface by Jean-Paul Goujon.
- Louÿs kept detailed notebooks, including a chronological catalogue of sexual partners.
- He planned an anthropological study of sexuality, comparing it to the Dakar-Djibouti mission.
- Mauricio Ortiz's book 'Du corps' is also reviewed, with a preface by Antonio Tabucchi.
- Frédéric Cousinié's 'Esthétique des fluides dans la peinture française du 17e siècle' is mentioned.
Entities
Artists
- Pierre Louÿs
- Mauricio Ortiz
- Antonio Tabucchi
- Frédéric Cousinié
- Georges Bataille
- Michel Leiris
- Claire Margat
- Alexandre Mare
Institutions
- Robert Laffont
- Seuil
- éd. du Félin
- art press
Locations
- Paris
- Marne
- Algeria
- Africa
Sources
- artpress —