This is another one where I went, Welp, this might cross some lines…
I was curious about the lives of courtesans, though. Napoleon had made brothels and sex work legal so prostitutes were prevalent, but courtesans had a higher place in society. They accumulated wealth, whether it was by becoming a mistress to a rich man or blackmailing their lovers with their own love letters.
Courtesans might not be formally educated, but they were intellectual and often hosted literary salons and attended plays and operas. They were celebrities, setting fashion trends and offering beauty secrets and–this will shock you–had governance over their own lives.
Yes! This collection of erotic stories that descend, at times, into debauchery, does have a theme.
Enjoy your evening of cards.