At the end of the XIXth Century the bourgeoisie and the aristocracy practiced a secret pastime: erotic literature. They ordered books from established artists like Beardsley, Klinger, Rops, Klimt or Von Bayros. These books appeared in numbered editions which were strictly limited. Each patron gave the artist detailed indications concerning his intimate tastes and personality. Protected by their high social positions, the patrons had nothing to fear from the courts which considered every text or image dealing with sex to be a criminal offence.

It was the artist rather than the patron who had to account for public opinion and the law. Often they had the finger of scorn pointed at them and were penalized for their transgressions. Most of the time the contents of these valuable books implied the mentality of a certain class and a certain epoch, a time in which man was the centre of a world where his virility symbolized his superiority, while woman was condemned to play a passive role.

As far as I am concerned the EX LIBRIS EROTICS is a collection of short stories, evoking the themes and influence of liberty, where man and woman are but two sides of the same coin and where love and sex bring about the events of live.

Massimo Rotundo