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Illustrations for De Figuris Veneris by Paul Avril

In 1824, German philosopher Friedrich Karl Forberg published De Figuris Veneris, a collection of ancient Greek and Roman scripts on erotica, now more commonly known and published as The Manual of Classic Erotology. The text is very matter of fact and objective and discusses a wide variety of sexual interests.

Édouard-Henri Avril (1849–1928) used the pseudonym Paul Avril to produce his exquisitely rendered erotica. He studied at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts and first began exhibiting in 1878.

In 1906, Avril,was commissioned to illustrate a new French edition of De Figuris Veneris. This project was a milestone in erotic illustration. Its depictions of sexual activity included homosexuality, lesbianism, group sex, and even bestiality. That made it incredibly advanced for its time.

The Avril-illustrated edition of De Figuris Veneris contained nineteen plates and was published in a limited numbered edition of 500 copies.

Illustrations