Johann Heinrich Füssli (1741 – 1825) better known in England as Henry Fuseli, was a Swiss-born painter, draughtsman, and art theorist whose dramatic and unconventional works made him a key figure in the Romantic movement. Originally trained as a theologian and preacher, he abandoned the church in 1764, embracing a…
In 2019, a unique 1920s scrapbook featuring erotic illustrations and spanking scenes sold for $700 at auction. Described as ‘Pinterest before Pinterest,’ it represents a rare piece of early BDSM and fetish history. Initially showcased on the Spanking Art blog, the scrapbook highlights the art of personal curation.
Claire Willows (sometimes spelled Claire Willowes) was a mysterious pseudonymous author and illustrator active in the underground English-language fetish and flagellation erotica scene from the 1930s onward (till the 70’s) Like many creators in this secretive niche, almost nothing is known about her personal life. To this day, no verified…
Heinz Brandenberg is an obscure and largely undocumented name from the underground erotic art scene of the 1970s. Likely working under a pseudonym or artist name, the creator was active in German-speaking Europe, most probably Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, as shown by the frequent use of German captions and phrases…
Nicolas Sternberg (1901 – 1959) was a highly original and prolific Hungarian-born artist and illustrator whose career flourished in the vibrant artistic scene of interwar Paris. Born in 1901 in Nagyvárad (now Oradea, Romania, then part of Hungary), Sternberg showed early talent by contributing illustrations to Hungarian newspapers as a…
The Fredi Trilogy is a rare and provocative series of three semi-autobiographical novels that trace the awakening of same-sex desire in a repressive society. Published by the Parisian house Librairie Artistique( known for its scandalous “kitsch novels”) the books were disguised as a “study in sexual inversion” to navigate censorship.For…