Édouard-Henri Avril (30)
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Édouard-Henri Avril (21 May 1849 – 28 July 1928) was a French painter and
commercial artist Commercial art is the art of creative services, referring to art created for commercial purposes, primarily advertising. Commercial art uses a variety of platforms (magazines, websites, apps, television, etc.) for viewers with the intent of promo ...
. Under the
pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
Paul Avril, he was an illustrator of
erotic literature Erotic literature comprises fictional and factual stories and accounts of eros (passionate, romantic or sexual relationships) intended to arouse similar feelings in readers. This contrasts erotica, which focuses more specifically on sexual feelin ...
. His career saw collaboration with influential people like
Octave Uzanne Octave Uzanne (14 September 1851 – 31 October 1931) was a 19th-century French bibliophile, writer, publisher, and journalist. He is noted for his literary research on the authors of the 18th century. He published many previously unpublishe ...
,
Henry Spencer Ashbee Henry Spencer Ashbee (21 April 1834 – 29 July 1900)(Walter) was a book collector, writer, and bibliographer. He is notable for his massive, clandestine three-volume bibliography of erotic literature published under the pseudonym of Pisanus Fraxi ...
and
Friedrich Karl Forberg Friedrich Karl Forberg (30 August 1770, Meuselwitz – 1 January 1848, Hildburghausen) was a German philosopher and classical scholar. Biography Born in 1770 in Thuringia, Forberg studied under Karl Leonhard Reinhold at Jena. In 1791 he travel ...
. Avril was a soldier before starting his career in art. He was awarded with the
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...
for his actions in the Franco-Prussian War.


Life

Avril was born in
Algiers Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...
. His father was a colonel of the
gendarmerie Wrong info! --> A gendarmerie () is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (literally, ...
. Avril himself fought and was wounded in the Franco-Prussian War before starting his studies in art. He was awarded with the
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...
on 31 May 1871 for injuries sustained during the war. The injuries resulted in retirement from his military career on 23 January 1872. Biographical material of his life is scarce due to the obscene nature of his work, and because he worked under a pseudonym of "Paul Avril". His pseudonym can lead to a confusion with his brother, who was named Paul-Victor Avril, and was also an artist and worked as an engraver. From 1874 to 1878 he was at the
École des Beaux-Arts École des Beaux-Arts (; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth century ...
in Paris. He worked for the illustrated newsmagazine ''
Le Monde illustré ''Le Monde illustré'' (title translation: ''The Illustrated World'') was a leading illustrated news magazine in France which was published from 1857–1940 and again from 1945 to 1956. It was in many ways similar to its contemporary English ...
'' in 1882. Having been commissioned to illustrate
Théophile Gautier Pierre Jules Théophile Gautier ( , ; 30 August 1811 – 23 October 1872) was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, and art and literary critic. While an ardent defender of Romanticism, Gautier's work is difficult to classify and rem ...
's novel ''Fortunio'', he adopted the pseudonym "Paul Avril". His reputation was soon established and he received many commissions to illustrate both major authors and the so-called "galante literature" of the day, a form of
erotica Erotica is literature or art that deals substantively with subject matter that is erotic, sexually stimulating or sexually arousing. Some critics regard pornography as a type of erotica, but many consider it to be different. Erotic art may use a ...
. However, his reputation as a commercial illustrator of novels was established before he began illustrating the more
underground Underground most commonly refers to: * Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth Underground may also refer to: Places * The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston * The Underground (S ...
erotic literature. These books were typically sold in small editions on a
subscription The subscription business model is a business model in which a customer must pay a recurring price at regular intervals for access to a product or service. The model was pioneered by publishers of books and periodicals in the 17th century, and ...
basis, organised by collectors. Erotica of that time received very limited prints and sometimes were limited to only 100 or so copies, or were sold only within exclusive circles of collectors. Because of the perceived obscenity of Avril and his works, it is difficult to assess the impact that his art might have had on the culture of the time. Avril died at
Le Raincy Le Raincy () is a prestigious commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Le Raincy is a subprefecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Le Raincy. Its populat ...
, near Paris, in 1928.


Works

Avril's major work were the illustrations in 1906 for '' De Figuris Veneris: A Manual of Classical Erotica''. Another important work illustrated by Avril was
John Cleland John Cleland (c. 1709, baptised – 23 January 1789) was an English novelist best known for his fictional '' Fanny Hill: or, the Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure'', whose eroticism led to his arrest. James Boswell called him "a sly, old malcont ...
's ''
Fanny Hill ''Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure''—popularly known as ''Fanny Hill''—is an erotic novel by English novelist John Cleland first published in London in 1748. Written while the author was in debtors' prison in London,Wagner, "Introduction", ...
'' (also known as ''Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure''), which was a significant and controversial publication of its time as it was the first novel to bring erotica to
English literature English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...
. The book's edition illustrated by Avril includes ''Les charmes de Fanny exposés'' that is one of his better known pictures. He illustrated such works as
Gustave Flaubert Gustave Flaubert ( , , ; 12 December 1821 – 8 May 1880) was a French novelist. Highly influential, he has been considered the leading exponent of literary realism in his country. According to the literary theorist Kornelije Kvas, "in Flauber ...
's ''
Salammbô ''Salammbô'' (1862) is a historical novel by Gustave Flaubert. It is set in Carthage immediately before and during the Mercenary Revolt (241–237 BCE). Flaubert's principal source was Book I of the '' Histories'', written by the Greek his ...
'', Gautier's ''Le Roi Caundale'',
Jean Baptiste Louvet de Couvray Jean-Baptiste Louvet de Couvray (12 June 1760 – 25 August 1797) was a French novelist, playwright and journalist. Life Early life and literary works Born in Paris as the son of a stationer, Louvet became a bookseller's clerk, and first attra ...
's ''Adventures of the Chevalier de Faublas'',
Mario Uchard is a character (arts), character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in ...
's ''Mon Oncle Barbassou'' (scenes in a harem),
Jules Michelet Jules Michelet (; 21 August 1798 – 9 February 1874) was a French historian and an author on other topics whose major work was a history of France and its culture. His aphoristic style emphasized his anti-clerical republicanism. In Michelet's ...
's ''The Madam'',
Hector France Hector Nicolas Alphonse Marie France (1837–1908) was a French writer and soldier, the author of numerous stories of an erotic nature. Has also translated from English into French and from French into English. He sometimes collaborated with H ...
's ''Musk, Hashish and Blood'', the writings of
Pietro Aretino Pietro Aretino (, ; 19 or 20 April 1492 – 21 October 1556) was an Italian author, playwright, poet, satirist and blackmailer, who wielded influence on contemporary art and politics. He was one of the most influential writers of his time and a ...
, and the anonymous lesbian novel '' Gamiani''. Classicizing works illustrated by Avril include '' Oeuvres d’Horace'' (1887), Une nuit de Cléopâtre (1894), ''
Daphnis et Chloé ''Daphnis et Chloé'' is a 1912 ''symphonie chorégraphique'', or choreographic symphony, for orchestra and wordless chorus by Maurice Ravel. It is in three main sections, or ''parties'', and a dozen scenes, most of them dances, and lasts just u ...
'' (1898), and '' Les sonnets luxurieux de l’Aretin'' (1904). Avril might be best known for his sapphic, or lesbian, illustrations. Prolific erotica collector
Henry Spencer Ashbee Henry Spencer Ashbee (21 April 1834 – 29 July 1900)(Walter) was a book collector, writer, and bibliographer. He is notable for his massive, clandestine three-volume bibliography of erotic literature published under the pseudonym of Pisanus Fraxi ...
commissioned Avril to design a
bookplate An ''Ex Libris'' (from ''ex-librīs'', ), also known as a bookplate (or book-plate, as it was commonly styled until the early 20th century), is a printed or decorative label pasted into a book, often on the front endpaper, to indicate ownership. ...
for him. Avril worked with
Octave Uzanne Octave Uzanne (14 September 1851 – 31 October 1931) was a 19th-century French bibliophile, writer, publisher, and journalist. He is noted for his literary research on the authors of the 18th century. He published many previously unpublishe ...
, who after leaving the Société des Amis des Livres, which he found too conservative and too concerned with the reissue of old works, started two new bibliographic societies. The Société des Bibliophiles Contemporaines (1889–1894) consisted of 160 people from literary circles, including Avril.


List of works and editions illustrated

*''L'Éventail'' (1882) *''L'Ombrelle – Le Gant – Le Manchon'' (1883) *''Fortunio'' (1883) *''Adventures of the Chevalier de Faublas'' (1884) *''Mon Oncle Barbassou'' (''Scenes in a Harem'') (1884) *''Fanny Hill'' (fr. 1887, eng. 1906) *''Oeuvres d’Horace'' (1887) *''The Mirror of the World'' (1888) *''Le Roi Caundale'' (1893) *''Une nuit de Cléopâtre'' (1894) *''The Life and Adventures of Father Silas'' (1896) *''Daphnis et Chloé'' (1898) *''Musk, Hashish and Blood'' (1899) *''Les Sonnets Luxurieux de l’Aretin'' (1904) *''Gamiani'' (1905) *''De Figuris Veneris: A Manual of Classical Erotica'' (1906) *''Salammbô'' (1906) *''Histoire de Saturnin'' (1908) *''The Madam''


Gallery

File:Paul Avril - Les Sonnetts Luxurieux (1892) de Pietro Aretino, 2.jpg, Sexual intercourse in the
missionary position The missionary position or man-on-top position is a sex position in which, generally, a woman lies on her back and a man lies on top of her while they face each other and engage in vaginal intercourse. The position may also be used for other se ...
File:Paul Avril - Les Sonnetts Luxurieux (1892) de Pietro Aretino, 6.jpg, Les Sonnets Luxurieux (1892) de
Pietro Aretino Pietro Aretino (, ; 19 or 20 April 1492 – 21 October 1556) was an Italian author, playwright, poet, satirist and blackmailer, who wielded influence on contemporary art and politics. He was one of the most influential writers of his time and a ...
File:Paul Avril - Les Sonnetts Luxurieux (1892) de Pietro Aretino, 7.jpg, Les Sonnets Luxurieux (1892) de Pietro Aretino File:Paul Avril - Les Sonnetts Luxurieux (1892) de Pietro Aretino, 8.jpg, Les Sonnets Luxurieux (1892) de Pietro Aretino File:Paul Avril - Les Sonnetts Luxurieux (1892) de Pietro Aretino, 3.jpg, Les Sonnets Luxurieux (1892) de Pietro Aretino
Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (31).jpg, Cover. Image:Édouard-Henri_Avril_(13).jpg, Missionary position. Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (23).jpg, Interior illustration. Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (22).jpg, It portrays a male masturbating while sexually fantasizing. Image:Édouard-Henri_Avril_(29).jpg, Plate XVIII. Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (28).jpg, Depiction of zoophilia. (Plate XVII) Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (30).jpg, Illustration of a foursome. Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (25).jpg, Illustration of an orgy. Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (14).jpg, Depiction of a woman on top position. Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (24).jpg, Depiction of cunnilingus in the life of
Sappho Sappho (; el, Σαπφώ ''Sapphō'' ; Aeolic Greek ''Psápphō''; c. 630 – c. 570 BC) was an Archaic Greek poet from Eresos or Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. Sappho is known for her Greek lyric, lyric poetry, written to be sung while ...
. Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (27).jpg, Dildo being used by two women. Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (18) Hadrian and Antinous in Egypt.jpg, Interpretation of Roman emperor
Hadrian Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania B ...
and
Antinous Antinous, also called Antinoös, (; grc-gre, Ἀντίνοος; 27 November – before 30 October 130) was a Greek youth from Bithynia and a favourite and probable lover of the Roman emperor Hadrian. Following his premature death before his ...
engaged in anal intercourse. (Plate VII) Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (19).jpg, The placard in the lower right hand corner reads "Gnothi seauton", Socrates' admonition to his friends to "know yourself". Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (20).jpg, Fellatio scene.
Image:Histoire de Saturnin - Paul Avril - 1908.jpg, Histoire de Saturnin 1908


See also

* John Martin *
Louis Legrand Louis Auguste Mathieu Legrand (29 September 1863 – 1951) was a French artist, known especially for his aquatint engravings, which were sometimes erotic. He was awarded the Légion d'honneur for his work in 1906. Life Legrand was born in the ...
* Martin van Maële *''
L'Origine du monde ("The Origin of the World") is a picture painted in oil on canvas by the French artist Gustave Courbet in 1866. It is a close-up view of the vulva and abdomen of a naked woman, lying on a bed with legs spread. History Identity of the model Ar ...
'' by
Gustave Courbet Jean Désiré Gustave Courbet ( , , ; 10 June 1819 – 31 December 1877) was a French painter who led the Realism movement in 19th-century French painting. Committed to painting only what he could see, he rejected academic convention and t ...


References


External links


Avril's Gallery of Classical Erotica

A Checklist of Works Illustrated by Paul Avril (46 items)


at
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Avril, Edouard-Henri 1849 births 1928 deaths People from Algiers French illustrators 19th-century French painters 19th-century French male artists French male painters 20th-century French painters 20th-century French male artists French erotic artists École des Beaux-Arts alumni French military personnel of the Franco-Prussian War