A silk handkerchief printed with a description of an erotic encounter with the words in the form of breasts. Mixed media, 1802, after E. Parny.

  • Parny, Évariste, 1753-1814.
Date:
[1802?]
Reference:
2200313i
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Description

A fantastically elaborate confection. In large gold letters along the top appear the words "Confession d'une jolie femme", like a necklace. Below, as if in the decolletage, appear the letterpress words "Extrait des Oeuvres diverses de E. Parny", and a fleuron printed in gold. Below, in the form of two breasts, are extracts from the writings of Parny, printed in circles with the nipples represented by asterisks. The breasts are surrounded by a chain of alternating black and white shapes representing diamonds and pearls. Below is the printer's device: Apollo with his harp, laurels, and the wreathed trumpets of fame. Around the edge of the sheet are eight ornamental woodcut borders. The silk sheet is mounted on blue cardboard with its own border printed in black and gold

Publication/Creation

Valenciennes (Places d'Armes no 15) : chez H.J. Prignet, imprimeur, [1802?]

Physical description

1 print : letterpress on white silk, with manuscript and woodcut ; silk 24 x 35 cm

Contributors

Lettering

Confession d'une jolie femme. Extrait des Oeuvres diverses de E. Parny

Creator/production credits

Evariste Désiré de Forges, Chevalier (and later) Vicomte de Parny (1753-1814) was chiefly known for his erotic writings. In 1802 he obtained a seat in the Académie Française. Chateaubriand wrote in 1813 "Je savais par coeur les élégies du chevalier de Parny, et je les sais encore", while the young Pushkin was mad about him ("Quand il entra au lycée, il écrit à peine sa langue maternelle, mais il est nourri de Voltaire, il raffole de Parny et d'autres sires de cette espèce"-- Eugène-Melchior de Vogüé, Le roman russe, Paris 1886 p. 46). In 'Eugene Onegin' Pushkin parodied him (III.25) and referred to him as "tender Parny" (III.29). The present work sums up Parny's reputation in his own time as the exemplar of elegant libertinism, though he was later regarded more as a scandal-monger

Reference

Wellcome Collection 2200313i

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