Hers... 3

Reader's Diary (Week 28)

Masochism involves more fiction and illusion that nearly any other pattern of human behavior. Nothing about it is quite what it seems... when both masochism and love are present, the bond may be twice as intense, and the ecstatic merging twice as fulfilling.
(Baumeister, 1989)

Hers... 2

Hers...

Masochism in Literature - Introduction

Erato by Francois Boucher, 1758

Masochism seems to be connected to modern Western culture. There are not many records indicating sexual masochism in other cultures or other times. Indeed it existed - and exists - everywhere and every time, but its existence was never expressed so openly as it is now in our culture. And it is not because we are living in the most permissive or sophisticated society - many sexual variations are tolerated in other cultures better and overall attitude towards sex were more tolerant in history.

Erato by Virgil Solis, 1562

Born of masochism as recognised sexual behaviour can be connected with 18th century. We can see rare records of similar behaviour before, but with Rousseau's confession it started to be cultural phenomenon. Sadly, nearly 250 years later it is still seen as something unnatural, dishonoring, degrading. Rousseau - great philosopher, but masochist? Is it a joke? Nietzsche, gay, maybe, but masochist? Common... Kafka as masochist? No way... Joyce? Just charming and innocent games of troubled genius... Sacher-Masoch, who? Writer? You call that Literature? Really? Surrealists worshipping the divine Marquise, but masochism? What? For Women, maybe...

Erato, 1560

Pain, loss of control, humiliation. Who can desire that? Who can make it part of sexual excitement? Such perversity... Kraft-Ebbing found name for it and destroyed very successful writer. Freud categorised it, Stekel made it a part of our human instincts. Reich saw it as nothing but demand for love, Reik made it part of our modern life, legitimate social behaviour. And Deleuze mixed everything together and made it, by using French philosophic terminology, accessible to all modern scholars. It's pity that Foucault died before he could finish his History of Sexuality...

Erato by Charles Meynier, 1800

Nevertheless, there is something that allows modern people to have masochistic feelings and desires and not only to realise them within their intimate life, but also to express them, give them some particular shape in their public manifestations. Whatever masochism is and regardless of its origins, it can bring some meaning into modern western world...

Erato by Samuel Wale, 1768

Botticelli in Femdom realm, Part 2

Openly Femdom painting like Camilla and the Centaur (Part 1 of Botticelli's Femdom paintings), which was commisioned by Lorenzo il Magnifico for bedchamber of Semiramide Appiani (together with famous Primavera), who, after 3 years of begging, in 1482 finally agreed to marry Lorenzo's younger cousin, are quite unique. Unfortunately, we do not know if and how was decorated Her husband's bedchamber. But Botticelli left us with another Femdom illustrated story from his Medici years - a story of La bella Simonetta and Giuliano de Medici.

Giuliano (1453-1478) was brother of Lorenzo il Magnifico and co-ruler of Florence. he played role of the patron of the art in the family, and was interested more in horsemanship and hunting then the Women. But just until he met beautiful noblewomen Simonetta Vespucci (1453-1476). Immediately he fell deeply in love and She became his Lady and Mistress. he started serving Her in accordance with the ideals of courtly love. She married Marco Vespucci, another man from the circle of the Medici. Giuliano organized Her wedding at the main square in Florence and also held the Wedding reception in his villa.

He made sure that Medici court poets and painters immortalised Simonetta in Her own lifetime as the most beautiful Woman in Florence. In 1475 Giuliano named Simonetta to be his 'Lady of the joust' at great jousting tournament and fought under a banner with portrait of Simonetta as Pallas Athene and inscription 'The Apparelled One' (painted by Botticelli). He indeed won the tournament for his Mistress and Simonetta became a 'Queen of Beauty'.

Beautiful Simonetta died of consumption in 1476. The entire Florence was reported to mourn Her death and thousands followed Her coffin to its burial. Giuliano is assassinated two years later.

Four portraits of Giuliano de Medici

There are four surviving Botticelli's portraits of Simonetta, who is considered today to be the most beautiful Woman of Renaissance, and no more then four portraits of Giuliano. Interestingly, Giuliano is pictured in usual, rather simple and schematic way, with eyes humbly bowed every time, whereas Simonetta portraits are teeming with details and really celebrating Her divine beauty and eroticism.

Weekend Night