Avril was born in Algiers. His father was a colonel of the gendarmerie. 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. The injuries resulted in retirement from his military career on 23 January 1872.[3]
Biographical material of his life is scarce due to the obscene nature of his work, and because he worked under a pseudonym of "Paul Avril".[4] His pseudonym can lead to a confusion with his brother,[1][5] who was named Paul-Victor Avril, and was also an artist and worked as an engraver.[5]
Les charmes de Fanny exposés (plate VIII) from Fanny Hill is one of the most famous works of Avril
Cover of L'Ombrelle - Le Gant - Le Manchon illustrated by Avril (1883)
Having been commissioned to illustrate Théophile Gautier's novel Fortunio, he adopted the pseudonym "Paul Avril".[7] 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. 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 basis, organised by collectors. Erotica of that time received very limited prints and sometimes were limited to only 100 or so copies, or were sold only within exclusive circles of collectors.[citation needed]
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.[4]
Avril's major work were the illustrations in 1906 for De Figuris Veneris: A Manual of Classical Erotica. Another important work illustrated by Avril was John Cleland's Fanny Hill (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 illustrated by Avril includes Les charmes de Fanny exposés that is one of his better known pictures. He illustrated such works as Gustave Flaubert's Salammbô, Gautier's Le Roi Caundale,[1][4][9]Jean Baptiste Louvet de Couvray's Adventures of the Chevalier de Faublas, Mario Uchard's Mon Oncle Barbassou (scenes in a harem), Jules Michelet's The Madam, Hector France's Musk, Hashish and Blood, the writings of Pietro Aretino, and the anonymous lesbian novel Gamiani.[3][7]
Classicizing works illustrated by Avril include Oeuvres d’Horace (1887), Une nuit de Cléopâtre (1894), Daphnis et Chloé (1898), and Les sonnets luxurieux de l’Aretin (1904).[10] Avril might be best known for his sapphic, or lesbian, illustrations.[11]
Prolific erotica collector Henry Spencer Ashbee commissioned Avril to design a bookplate for him.[10] Avril worked with Octave Uzanne,[11][12] 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)[13] consisted of 160 people from literary circles, including Avril.[12]
^ abTom Cutler (18 October 2012). Slap and Tickle: The Unusual History of Sex and the People Who Have it. Little, Brown Book Group. p. 31. ISBN978-1-78033-836-1.
^"Paul Avril". Dictionary of Art & Artist. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
^Joseph A. Boone (18 March 2014). The Homoerotics of Orientalism. Columbia University Press. pp. 401–402. ISBN978-0-231-15110-8.
^ abBlanshard, Alastair J. L. (2010). Sex: Vice and Love from Antiquity to Modernity. doi:10.1002/9781444323566. ISBN978-1-4443-2356-6.
^ abcSusan Hiner (6 June 2011). Accessories to Modernity: Fashion and the Feminine in Nineteenth-Century France. University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 112–113, 242. ISBN978-0-8122-0533-6.
^ abWilla Z. Silverman (2008). The New Bibliopolis: French Book Collectors and the Culture of Print, 1880–1914. University of Toronto Press. pp. 83–84. ISBN978-0-8020-9211-3.
^Curinier, CE (1914). "Uzanne (Louis Octave)". Dictionnaire national des contemporains (in French). Vol. IV. Paris: Office Général d'Edition. pp. 66–67. OCLC 697614752.
^Michael Reynolds (17 June 2016). Creating Der Rosenkavalier: From Chevalier to Cavalier. Boydell & Brewer. p. 9. ISBN978-1-78327-049-1.
^H.P. Bois (1892). Four private libraries of New York. Рипол Классик. p. 96. ISBN978-5-87738-216-9.
^Mary E. Davis (15 October 2010). Ballets Russes Style: Diaghilev's Dancers and Paris Fashion. Reaktion Books. p. 109. ISBN978-1-86189-885-2.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Édouard-Henri Avril.
Avril's Gallery of Classical Erotica
A Checklist of Works Illustrated by Paul Avril (46 items)
Édouard, henri, avril, 1849, july, 1928, french, painter, commercial, artist, under, pseudonym, paul, avril, illustrator, erotic, literature, career, collaboration, with, influential, people, like, octave, uzanne, henry, spencer, ashbee, friedrich, karl, forbe. Edouard 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 1 His career saw collaboration with influential people like Octave Uzanne Henry Spencer Ashbee and Friedrich Karl Forberg citation needed Edouard Henri AvrilPortrait of Edouard Henri Avril c 1885 Born 1849 05 21 21 May 1849Algiers French AlgeriaDied28 July 1928 1928 07 28 aged 79 Le Raincy Paris French Third RepublicNationalityFrenchEducationEcole des Beaux ArtsKnown forIllustrator of erotic literatureNotable workDe figuris Veneris FortunioAwardsLegion of HonourAvril was a soldier before starting his career in art He was awarded with the Legion of Honour for his actions in the Franco Prussian War 2 Contents 1 Life 2 Works 3 List of works and editions illustrated 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksLife EditAvril was born in Algiers His father was a colonel of the gendarmerie 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 The injuries resulted in retirement from his military career on 23 January 1872 3 Biographical material of his life is scarce due to the obscene nature of his work and because he worked under a pseudonym of Paul Avril 4 His pseudonym can lead to a confusion with his brother 1 5 who was named Paul Victor Avril and was also an artist and worked as an engraver 5 Les charmes de Fanny exposes plate VIII from Fanny Hill is one of the most famous works of Avril Cover of L Ombrelle Le Gant Le Manchon illustrated by Avril 1883 From 1874 to 1878 he was at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris 4 3 He worked for the illustrated newsmagazine Le Monde illustre in 1882 5 6 Having been commissioned to illustrate Theophile Gautier s novel Fortunio he adopted the pseudonym Paul Avril 7 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 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 basis organised by collectors Erotica of that time received very limited prints and sometimes were limited to only 100 or so copies or were sold only within exclusive circles of collectors citation needed 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 4 Avril died at Le Raincy near Paris in 1928 8 Works Edit Bookplate designed by Avril for erotica collector Henry Spencer Ashbee Avril s major work were the illustrations in 1906 for De Figuris Veneris A Manual of Classical Erotica Another important work illustrated by Avril was John Cleland s Fanny Hill 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 illustrated by Avril includes Les charmes de Fanny exposes that is one of his better known pictures He illustrated such works as Gustave Flaubert s Salammbo Gautier s Le Roi Caundale 1 4 9 Jean Baptiste Louvet de Couvray s Adventures of the Chevalier de Faublas Mario Uchard s Mon Oncle Barbassou scenes in a harem Jules Michelet s The Madam Hector France s Musk Hashish and Blood the writings of Pietro Aretino and the anonymous lesbian novel Gamiani 3 7 Classicizing works illustrated by Avril include Oeuvres d Horace 1887 Une nuit de Cleopatre 1894 Daphnis et Chloe 1898 and Les sonnets luxurieux de l Aretin 1904 10 Avril might be best known for his sapphic or lesbian illustrations 11 Prolific erotica collector Henry Spencer Ashbee commissioned Avril to design a bookplate for him 10 Avril worked with Octave Uzanne 11 12 who after leaving the Societe des Amis des Livres which he found too conservative and too concerned with the reissue of old works started two new bibliographic societies The Societe des Bibliophiles Contemporaines 1889 1894 13 consisted of 160 people from literary circles including Avril 12 List of works and editions illustrated EditL Eventail 1882 11 L Ombrelle Le Gant Le Manchon 1883 Fortunio 1883 6 Adventures of the Chevalier de Faublas 1884 14 Mon Oncle Barbassou Scenes in a Harem 1884 6 Fanny Hill fr 1887 eng 1906 6 Oeuvres d Horace 1887 6 The Mirror of the World 1888 15 Le Roi Caundale 1893 6 Une nuit de Cleopatre 1894 16 The Life and Adventures of Father Silas 1896 6 Daphnis et Chloe 1898 6 Musk Hashish and Blood 1899 6 Les Sonnets Luxurieux de l Aretin 1904 6 Gamiani 1905 6 De Figuris Veneris A Manual of Classical Erotica 1906 6 Salammbo 1906 6 Histoire de Saturnin 1908 The MadamGallery EditLes Sonnets Luxurieux Sexual intercourse in the missionary position Les Sonnets Luxurieux 1892 de Pietro Aretino Les Sonnets Luxurieux 1892 de Pietro Aretino Les Sonnets Luxurieux 1892 de Pietro Aretino Les Sonnets Luxurieux 1892 de Pietro AretinoDe figuris Veneris from Friedrich Karl Forberg 1770 1848 Cover Missionary position Interior illustration It portrays a male masturbating while sexually fantasizing Plate XVIII Depiction of zoophilia Plate XVII Illustration of a foursome Illustration of an orgy Depiction of a woman on top position Depiction of cunnilingus in the life of Sappho Dildo being used by two women Interpretation of Roman emperor Hadrian and Antinous engaged in anal intercourse Plate VII The placard in the lower right hand corner reads Gnothi seauton Socrates admonition to his friends to know yourself Fellatio scene Others Histoire de Saturnin 1908See also Edit Biography portal Art portalJohn Martin Louis Legrand Martin van Maele L Origine du monde by Gustave CourbetReferences Edit a b c Paul Eduard Henry Avril Biography and Offers Buy and Sell Retrieved 01 August 2012 Kettererkunst com Retrieved 6 September 2012 Dossier de Legion d honneur Base Leonore National Archives Ministere de la Culture Retrieved 5 October 2022 a b c Paul Avril i piaceri sfrenati dell artista soldato dell Ottocento Il video 5 March 2018 a b c d Armitage Helen 11 August 2014 Edouard Henri Avril The Master of 19th Century Pornography Retrieved 3 October 2016 a b c Transits of Venus and Mercury as muses a b c d e f g h i j k l m Paul Avril Avril Paul a b Tom Cutler 18 October 2012 Slap and Tickle The Unusual History of Sex and the People Who Have it Little Brown Book Group p 31 ISBN 978 1 78033 836 1 Paul Avril Dictionary of Art amp Artist Retrieved 13 April 2015 Joseph A Boone 18 March 2014 The Homoerotics of Orientalism Columbia University Press pp 401 402 ISBN 978 0 231 15110 8 a b Blanshard Alastair J L 2010 Sex Vice and Love from Antiquity to Modernity doi 10 1002 9781444323566 ISBN 978 1 4443 2356 6 a b c Susan Hiner 6 June 2011 Accessories to Modernity Fashion and the Feminine in Nineteenth Century France University of Pennsylvania Press pp 112 113 242 ISBN 978 0 8122 0533 6 a b Willa Z Silverman 2008 The New Bibliopolis French Book Collectors and the Culture of Print 1880 1914 University of Toronto Press pp 83 84 ISBN 978 0 8020 9211 3 Curinier CE 1914 Uzanne Louis Octave Dictionnaire national des contemporains in French Vol IV Paris Office General d Edition pp 66 67 OCLC 697614752 Michael Reynolds 17 June 2016 Creating Der Rosenkavalier From Chevalier to Cavalier Boydell amp Brewer p 9 ISBN 978 1 78327 049 1 H P Bois 1892 Four private libraries of New York Ripol Klassik p 96 ISBN 978 5 87738 216 9 Mary E Davis 15 October 2010 Ballets Russes Style Diaghilev s Dancers and Paris Fashion Reaktion Books p 109 ISBN 978 1 86189 885 2 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Edouard Henri Avril Avril s Gallery of Classical Erotica A Checklist of Works Illustrated by Paul Avril 46 items Records at Legion of Honour Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edouard Henri Avril amp oldid 1120898922, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
