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 assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...

Paul Avril, he was an illustrator of

erotic literature Erotic literature comprises fictional and factual stories and accounts of eros (concept), eros (passionate, romantic or sexual relationships) intended to arouse similar feelings in readers. This contrasts erotica, which focuses more specifically ...

. 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 ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

for his actions in the

Franco-Prussian War The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...

Life

Avril was born in

Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...

. His father was a colonel of the

gendarmerie A gendarmerie () is a paramilitary or 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" (). In France and so ...

. 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 on 31 May 1871 for injuries sustained during the war, which resulted in retirement from his military career on 23 January 1872. Biographical material of his life is scarce due to the perceived 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 in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. He worked for the illustrated newsmagazine '' Le Monde illustré'' 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 rema ...

'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 art, literature or photography 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. Erot ...

. However, his reputation as a commercial illustrator of novels was established before he began illustrating the more underground 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. It ...

basis organised by collectors. Erotica of that time received very limited prints and sometimes were limited to only about 100 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 communes of France, commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, center of Paris. Le Raincy is a subprefecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis departments of France, department and ...

near Paris in 1928.

Works

Avril's major work were the illustrations in 1906 for '' De Figuris Veneris: A Manual of Classical Erotica''. Avril also illustrated

John Cleland John Cleland (24 September 1709 – 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 the English novelist John Cleland first published in London in 1748 and 1749. Written while the author was in debtors' prison in London,Wagne ...

'' (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. The book's edition that Avril illustrated includes ''Les charmes de Fanny exposés,'' which is one of his better-known pictures. He illustrated works including

Gustave Flaubert Gustave Flaubert ( , ; ; 12 December 1821 – 8 May 1880) was a French novelist. He has been considered the leading exponent of literary realism in his country and abroad. According to the literary theorist Kornelije Kvas, "in Flaubert, realis ...

's ''

Salammbô ''Salammbô'' is an 1862 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 hist ...

'', 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 Louvet was born in Paris as the son of a stationer and became a bookseller's clerk. He firs ...

's ''Adventures of the Chevalier de Faublas'',

Mario Uchard Mario (; ) is a character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Japanese video game company Nintendo. ...

's ''Mon Oncle Barbassou'' (scenes in a harem),

Jules Michelet Jules Michelet (; 21 August 1798 – 9 February 1874) was a French historian and writer. He is best known for his multivolume work ''Histoire de France'' (History of France). Michelet was influenced by Giambattista Vico; he admired Vico's emphas ...

'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 ...

'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, satire, satirist and blackmailer, who wielded influence on contemporary art and politics. He was one of the most influential writers of his ti ...

, 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 ballet and orchestral concert work, subtitled ''symphonie chorégraphique'' (choreographic symphony), for orchestra and wordless chorus by Maurice Ravel. It is in three main sections, or ''parties'', and a dozen s ...

'' (1898), and '' Les sonnets luxurieux de l’Aretin'' (1904). Avril might be best known for his

sapphic Sapphic may refer to: * Sappho, Greek poet of the 7th century BC who wrote about her attraction to women ** Sapphic stanza, a four line poetic form * Sapphism ''Sapphism'' is an umbrella term for any woman Interpersonal attraction, attracted ...

illustrations. Prolific erotica collector Henry Spencer Ashbee commissioned Avril to design a

bookplate An , 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. Simple typographical bookplates are ...

for him. Avril worked with Octave Uzanne, 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.

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 spreads her legs and a man lies on top of her while they face each other and engage in vaginal intercourse. The position may also ...

File:Paul Avril - Les Sonnetts Luxurieux (1892) de Pietro Aretino, 6.jpg, Les Sonnets Luxurieux (1892) de

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, Illustration of cunnilingus Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (22).jpg, A man masturbating while sexually fantasizing Image:Édouard-Henri_Avril_(29).jpg, Illustration of a threesome between two men and a woman (Plate XVIII) Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (28).jpg, Depiction of bestiality (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 (; ''Sapphṓ'' ; Aeolic Greek ''Psápphō''; ) was an Ancient Greek poet from Eresos or Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. Sappho is known for her lyric poetry, written to be sung while accompanied by music. In ancient times, Sapph ...

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 ( ; ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. Hadrian was born in Italica, close to modern Seville in Spain, an Italic peoples, Italic settlement in Hispania Baetica; his branch of the Aelia gens, Aelia '' ...

and

Antinous Antinous, also called Antinoös, (; ; – ) was a Greek youth from Bithynia, a favourite and lover of the Roman emperor Hadrian. Following his premature death before his 20th birthday, Antinous was deified on Hadrian's orders, being worshippe ...

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, Depiction of fellatio File:Édouard-Henri Avril (11).jpg, Illustration I: The Ceremonial of Fanny's initiation,

Édouard-Henri Avril Édouard-Henri Avril (; 21 May 1849 – 28 July 1928) was a French painter and commercial artist. Under the pseudonym Paul Avril, he was an illustrator of erotic literature. Avril was a soldier before starting his career in art; he was awarded ...

, 1907 File:Édouard-Henri Avril.jpg, Illustration II: Mr Croft's attempt to seduce Fanny, Édouard-Henri Avril, 1907 File:Édouard-Henri Avril (1).jpg, Illustration III: Polly Philips and the young Italian, Édouard-Henri Avril, 1907 File:Édouard-Henri Avril (2).jpg, Illustration IV: Charles plucks Fanny's virgin flower, Édouard-Henri Avril, 1907 File:Édouard-Henri Avril (3) crop.JPG, Illustration V: Fanny emboldens William, Édouard-Henri Avril, 1907 File:Édouard-Henri Avril (4).jpg, Illustration VI: Mr. H... surprises Fanny and William, Édouard-Henri Avril, 1907 File:Édouard-Henri Avril (5).jpg, Illustration VII: Louisa and the lodger's son, Édouard-Henri Avril, 1907 File:Édouard-Henri Avril (6).jpg, Illustration VIII: Fanny's beauties displayed, Édouard-Henri Avril, 1907 File:Édouard-Henri Avril (7).jpg, Illustration IX: Fanny and the sailor, Édouard-Henri Avril, 1907 File:Édouard-Henri Avril (8).jpg, Illustration X: Fanny whips Mr. Barville, Édouard-Henri Avril, 1907 File:Édouard-Henri Avril (9).jpg, Illustration XI: The bathing party, Édouard-Henri Avril, 1907 File:Édouard-Henri Avril (10).jpg, Illustration XII: Charles and Fanny, Édouard-Henri Avril, 1907 Image:Histoire de Saturnin - Paul Avril - 1908.jpg, Histoire de Saturnin 1908

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 Candaule'' (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''

References

External links

Avril's Gallery of Classical Erotica

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

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