Ménage a trois

The 18th century saw radical change in all aspects of French life in a period which became known as the Age of Enlightenment. In literature French writers began to explore ideas that reflected the new found liberty. The libertine, or erotic novel, featured eroticism, seduction, manipulation, and social intrigue. Classic examples such as Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos (1782) and Justine ou les Malheurs de la vertu by the infamous Marquis de Sade often were accompanied by illustrated plates and this led in turn to an interest in erotic art.