The young woman who inspired Dumas’s La Dame aux Camélias and Verdi’s Violetta in La traviata conceived at least once in the course of her 23 years. At the time she was in her late teens. During the five years that followed the birth of her baby, between the ages of 17 and 22, she prospered as the leading courtesan of the most glamorous city in Europe. The word ‘courtesan’ is a euphemism for an upper class prostitute, a paid woman who doubled as a trophy exhibit at the theatre and opera.
The post Sex, hygiene, and style in 1840s Paris appeared first on OUPblog.
0 Comments on Sex, hygiene, and style in 1840s Paris as of 9/30/2015 7:51:00 AM
Add a Comment