Livres coquins

She’s fondling herself and baring her bottom to a fireplace while reading a book: Hortense de Beauharnais, Queen Consort of Holland is shown in a bad light here. The book in her hand is labelled “Thérèse philosophe”; on the table lies “La Pucelle d’Orléans” and thrown on the floor is “Het Cabinet der Dames”(*) –…

Who does not remember Salieri presenting “nipples of Venus” to Mozart’s wife Constanze? in the tongue-in-cheek scene from Miloš Forman’s 1984 movie “Amadeus”. Capezzoli di Venere are a traditional sweetmeat from northern Italy. Today they are commercially available as chocolates with an almond or walnut filling. But even if they have the right shape, is…