Immoral, Licentious, and Obscene
Banned Books and Drawings in France 1814-1850
(P - Z)
This list is taken from the catalogue "Catalogue des Écrits, Gravures et Dessins condamnes Depuis 1814 jusqu'au 1st janivie 1850". Published Paris: Librairie Adolphe Delhays, 1850; specifically chapter "Écrits, gravures, lithographies et dessins immoraux, liceneieux et obscenes". Notes to the Checklist: Bookseller Jean-Baptiste Rousseau should not be confused with author Jean-Jacques Rosseau. Annotations are my own.
PANORAMZ DES PAILLARDS
Obscene engraving.
Sold by Mayer [first name unknown]
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on April 11, 1843
– Mayer was sentenced to 1 month in prison and fined 500 francs.
PARADIS PERDU
Poem by Parny
– Destruction ordered per the judgement of the tribunal correctionnel de Coutances on August 30, 1826.
– Publisher, seller, etc. not listed.
PARCHEMINS ET LA LIVRÉE, LES
By Eugène Garay de Monglove.
– Condemned for outrages against public, religious and good morals.
– Destruction ordered per the judgement of the tribunal correctionnel de Seine on June 30, 1825.
– Monglove was sentenced to 12 days in prison and fined 300 francs.
PARIS, TABLEAU MORAL ET PHILOSOPHIQUE
By Vincent Fournier-Verneuil.
– Condemned for outrages against good and public morals by the indecent paintings and Obscene expressions contained in this work.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour royale de Paris on June 13, 1826.
– Fournier-Verneuil was sentenced to 6 months in prison and fined 25 francs.
PART DES FEMMES, LA
Serial novel by Meray, published in the Démocratie pacifique.
– Condemned for outrages to good and public morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 24, 1847.
– It does not appear that Meray was sentenced or fined.
PASTEUR D'UZÈS
Ou, Valentine, By Henri-Joseph-Victor Ducange. 3 volumes.
– Condemned for outrages against public, religious and good morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on June 26, 1821.
– Ducange was sentenced to 6 months in prison and fined 500 francs.
PLAISIRS DE TOUS LES AGES, LES
Sold by Rénier Becker.
– Condemned for outrages against good and public morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842.
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
PLAN DE PARIS, LE
Sold by Rénier Becker.
– Condemned for outrages against good and public morals.
Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842.
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
PRÉMICES DE JAVOTTE, LES
Song by Pierre-Marie-Michel-Eugène de Pradel.
– Condemmed for outrages against good and public morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour royale de Paris on July 11, and November 16, 1822.
– Pradel was sentenced to 6 months in prison and fined 5,000 francs.
PRÉTRE, LE
Pamphlet
– Condemned for outrages against public, religious and good morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour royale de Paris on August 5, 1828.
– Publisher, seller, etc. not listed.
PROGRÉS DU LIBERTINAGE
Sold by Rénier Becker.
– Condemned for outrages against good, public and religious morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842.
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
PROSPECTUS POUR LAS MALADIE DE NEUF MOIS
Distributed by Langlois (former head clerk to the ministry of (worship?).
– Condemned for outrages against public morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on November 6, 1835.
– Length of sentence and fine not given.
PUCELLE D'ORLÉANS, LA
By Voltaire. 1 volume with obscene and lacivious engravings.
Sold by Pierre Lagier.
– Condemned for outrages against good, public and religious morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour royale de Paris on December 21, 1822.
– It does not appear that Lagier was sentenced or fined.
Sold by Rénier Becker.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842.
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
Sold by Louis-Victor Deshayes (print merchant).
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on November 28, 1846.
– Deshayes was sentenced to 8 months in prison and fined 500 francs.
Written in 1730, the first unauthorized publishing of this work was done by Louvain in 1755. When Voltaire (pseud. of Francois-Marie Arouet - b.1694 - d.1778) first read a biographical verse about Joan of Arc entitled "Pucelle, ov La France Deliverée" [published by Jean Chapelain in 1657] he declared that the French language was not suitable for the heroic epic - and began work on his satyrical La Pucelle d'Orleans. He turns the historical contest between the French and the English into a battle for Joan of Arc's virginity, upon which the fate of the war depends. Although written by Voltaire strictly for his own pleasure and that of his friends, several versions were published against his wishes, and he denied authorship until 1762, when he allowed the publication of an authorised copy [with 20 engraved plates, unsigned, attributed to Gravelot].
P..... CLOITRÉES, LES
Obscene figures.
Sold by Jean-Baptiste Rousseau.
– Condemned for outrage against good and public morals.
– Destruction ordered per the Cour royale de Paris on November 16, 1822
– The charges against Rousseau were discharged owing to lack of notification of the charges[?] directed against him concerning the sale of the book.
RECUEIL DE POÉSIES DIVERSES
De La Fontaine, Piron, Voltaire et Grécourt, with engravings.
Henri Clouzot (bookseller), Antoine Porterié (merchant hawker), Bertrand Porterié (merchant hawker)
– Condemned for outrages against good and public morals.
– Destruction ordered per the judgement of the tribunal correctionnel de la Vienne on December 12, 1838.
– Clouzot and both the Porteriés were fined 10 francs.
RELIGIEUSE, LA
By Denis Diderot (1713-1784)
Lacivious novel.
– Destruction ordered per the judgement of the tribunal correctionnel de la Seine on August 20, 1824.
– Publisher, seller, etc. not listed.
– Destruction ordered per the judgement of the tribunal correctionnel de la Seine on November 24, 1826.
– Publisher, seller, etc. not listed.
Diderot began writing La Religieuse in 1760, but literary folklore says the beginnings of the novel actually began as an elaborate hoax involving forged correspondence by Diderot and various conspirutors over a period in excess of three months in order to lure one of their friends, the marquis de Croismare, back to Paris. At some point, Diderot decided to use the plot of the hoax he had begun as a starting point for his novel La Religieuse, which he completed in c.1780. The work, however, wasn't published until 1796, after his death.
REVUE DRAMATIQUE
Sold by Rénier Becker.
– Condemned for outrages against good and public morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842.
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
ROBERVILLE, M. DE
By Pigault-Lebrun. Novel in 4 volumes. In-12.
Sold by Jean-Nicholas Barba.
– Condemned for outrages against public and religious morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour royale de Paris on January 15, 1825.
– Barba was sentenced to 8 months in prison and fined 16 francs.
ROSÉE
Obscene engraving.
Sold by Rénier Becker.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842.
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
ROSÉE DE TOUTES LES SAISONS
Book of obsecne engravings.
Sold by Mayer [first name unknown].
– Destruction ordered by the Cour royale de Paris on November 16, 1822.
– Mayer was sentenced to 1 month in prison and fined 500 francs.
SAINTE NITOUCHE
Sold by Rénier Becker.
– Condemned for outrages against good, public and religious morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842.
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
Attributed to A.G. Meusnier de Querlon. This work may have been first published in 1830.
SAINT-SIMONIENS
Collection of obscene engravings.
Sold by Mayer [first name unknown].
– Destruction ordered by the Cour royale de Paris on November 16, 1822.
– Mayer was sentenced to 1 month in prison and fined 500 francs.
SCÈMES DE LA VIE INTIME
Immoral work sold by Rénier Becker.
– Condemned for outrages against good, public and religious morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842.
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
SENTINELLES EN DÉFAUT
Obscene engraving.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour royale de Paris on September 14, 1821.
– Publisher, seller, etc. not listed.
SIÉGE DU PARADIS, LE
Sold by Rénier Becker.
– Condemned for outrages against good, public and religious morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842.
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
SOIRÉES LUBRIQUES
Sold by Rénier Becker.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842.
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
SONGE TROMPEUR, LE
Obscene engraving.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour royale de Paris on January 14, 1822.
– Publisher, seller, etc. not listed.
SOURCE DE PLAISIRS, LA
Immoral work.
Sold by Rénier Becker.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842.
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
SOURCES DE PLAISIRS, LA
Immoral work.
Sold by Rénier Becker.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842.
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
SYNODE CONJUGAL, LE
2 volumes.
Destruction ordered per the Cour royale de Paris on May 19, 1815.
Publisher, seller, etc. not listed.
SYSTÈME DE LA NATURE ET DES LOIS DU MONDE PHYSIQUE ET MORAL
By the baron d'Holbach. 4 vol. In-18.
Sold by Paul Domère.
– Condemned for outrages against public and religious morals.
– Destruction ordered per the Cour royale de Paris on May 29, 1823.
– Domère was sentenced to 6 months in prison and fined 1,000 francs.
– Destruction ordered per the Cour royale de Paris on June 19, 1827.
– Publisher, seller, etc. not listed.
SYSTÈME SOCIAL
Ou, Principes de la morale et de la politique.
By the baron d'Holbach. 2 volumes.
Published by Jean-Marie-Aguste Niogret.
– Condemned for outrages against religion of the state, etc., etc.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour royale de Paris on March 1, 1823.
– Niogret was sentenced to 3 months in prison and fined 1,000 francs.
TABLEAU DE L'AMOUR CONJUGAL
With obscene figures.
Sold by Jean-Baptiste Cassé.
– Condemned for outrages against good morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assise de la Haute-Garonne on June 8, 1843.
– Cassé was sentenced to 1 months in prison and fined 50 framcs.
Attributed to Nicolas Venette, this work was first published in 1687 as Tableau de l'amour considéré dans l'estat du mariage [� Amsterdam : chez J. et G. Jansson, 1687]. Later publshed in 1702 as De la Génération de l'homme, ou le Tableau de l'amour conjugal [� Cologne: chez C. Joly, 1702]. The first English translation was done in 1703, and again in 1912, as The Mysteries of Conjugal Love revealed. See also the edition published by Charles Carrington in 1906.
TEMPS QUI COURT, LE
Brochure sold by Alexandre Corréard.
– Condemned for outrages against good, public and religious morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on June 28, 1820.
– Corréard was fined 400 francs.
THÉATRE GAILLARD, LE
2 vol. In-12. With engravings.
Sold by Jean-Baptiste Rousseau.
– Condemned for outrages against good morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour royale de Paris on November 16, 1822.
– The charges against Rousseau were discharged owing to lack of notification of the charges[?] directed against him concerning the sale of the book.
Sold by Auguste Jean (bookseller clerk).
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on November 24, 1834.
– Jean was sentenced to 3 months in prison and fined 300 francs.
Henri Clouzot (bookseller), Antoine Porterié (merchant hawker), Bertrand Porterié (merchant hawker)
– Destruction ordered per the judgement of the tribunal correctionnel de la Vienne on December 12, 1838.
– Clouzot and both the Porteriés were fined 10 francs.
First published in 1776, Le Theatre Gaillard is a collection of playlets by authors such as Legrand, the Comte de Caylus, Bussy-Rabutin and Piron. Cazin published an edition in 1788 with 8 plates and Auguste Poulet-Malassis published an edition in 1865 (2 frontispieces tipped in by Félicien Rops).
THÉMIDORE
Ou, Mon histoire et celie de ma maitresse
Pamphlet with lacivious figures.
Sold by Jean-Baptiste Rousseau.
– Condemned for outrage against good and public morals.
– Destruction ordered per the Cour royale de Paris on November 16, 1822
– The charges against Rousseau were discharged owing to lack of notification of the charges[?] directed against him concerning the sale of the book.
THÉRÉSE PHILOSOPHE
Sold by Jean-François Leroux.
– Condemned for outrages against good, public and religious morals
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on June 6, 1822.
– Leroux was sentenced to 2 months in prison and fined 500 francs.
André Besson (merchant hawker), Jean-Hémerie Bourraut (manufacturer), Jean-Pierre Cottenet (printer, engravings) and Jean-Jacques Merlot (painter).
– Destruction ordered per the judgement of the tribunal correctionnel de la Seine on February 25, 1825.
– Besson was sentenced to 3 months in prison and fined 200 francs; Bourraut to 1 month in prison and fined 3,500 francs; Cottenet to 3 months in prison and fined 200 francs; and Merlot to 3 months in prison and fined 200 francs.
Therese Philosophe was first published in 1774, small 12mo with 12 plates after designs attributed to Bernard Picart. Although published clandestinely, Therese Philosophe became one of the best-sellers of the period.
TOUJOURS! TOUJOURS!
Obscene engraving.
Published by Aubert et Besnard.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on October 31, 1833.
– It does not appear that Besnard was sentenced or fined.
Attributed to Arles de Montigny, "Thérèse Philosophe" was first published in c.1748.
TOURELLE DE SAINT-ÉTIENNE, LA
Ou, le Séminaire de Vénus, with obscene engravings.
Sold by Gautier (former secondhand bookseller).
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 21, 1831.
– Gautier was aquitted.
VEILLÉE DE JEUNE FILLE, UNE
Lacivious engraving.
Sold by Regnier Becker.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
VIE DU CHEVALIER DE FAUBLAS
By Louvet de Couvray.
Sold by Jean Redonnet.
– Condemned for outrages against good and public morals.
– Destruction ordered by the judgement of the tribunal correctionnel de Vannes on April 29, 1822
– Redonnet was sentenced to 1 month in prison and fined 16 francs.
Published by André-Ambroise Tardieu.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Vienne on December 12, 1838.
– It does not appear that Tardieu was sentenced or fined.
Henri Clouzot (bookseller), Antoine Porterié (merchant hawker), Bertrand Porterié (merchant hawker)
– Destruction ordered per the judgement of the tribunal correctionnel de la Vienne on December 12, 1838.
– >Clouzot and both the Porteriés were fined 10 francs.
VIE DU DANDY EN EUROPE
Sold by Regnier Becker.
– Condemned for outrages against good and public morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
VIE DU SOLDAT, LA
Sold by Regnier Becker.
– Condemned for outrages against good and public morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
VINGT ANS DE LA VIE D'UN JEUNE HOMME
Sold by Regnier Becker.
– Condemned for outrages against good and public morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
VINGT ANS DE LA VIE D'UNE FEMME
Sold by Regnier Becker.
– Condemned for outrages against good and public morals.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour d'assises de la Seine on August 9, 1842
– Becker was sentenced to six months in prison and fined 200 francs.
VOUS AVEZ LA CLEF
Obscene engraving.
– Destruction ordered by the Cour royale de Paris on September 14, 1821.
– Publisher, seller, etc. not listed.
Sources Used
• Catalogue des Écrits, Gravures et Dessins. Paris: Librairie Adolphe Delhays, 1850
• Darnton, Robert. The Forbidden Best-Sellers of Pre-Revolutionary France. W.W. Norton & Co., 1995
• Dictionnaire des Œuvres Érotiques. Mercure de France, 1971.
• Dutel, Jean-Pierre. Bibliographie des Ouvrages Érotiques. Paris: 2001.
• Englisch, Paul. Irrgarten der Erotik. Auflage, 1965.
• Foxon, David. Libertine Literature in England 1600-1745. NY: University Books, 1965
• Kearney, Patrick. A History of Erotic Literature. London: Macmillan, 1982
• Lély, Gilbert. The Marquis de Sade, a Biography. London: Elek Books Limited, 1961
• Peakman, Julie. Mighty Lewd Books. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003
