HIST 332 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Veronica Franco, House Of Venier, Erotic Literature
28 Feb 2019
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Relative elegance of courtesans and their setting. Since they had a few wealthy clients, who in theory gave them a lot of money, they could buy nice clothing and have nice apartments as well as nice furnishings. Courtesans tended to have greater refinement than ordinary prostitutes. They would have some education and better manners, know how to converse and behave properly with clients and could also entertain them with music. Courtesans did emerge in the renaissance, from the late. Reformations did not do away with courtesans. Cultivation of the mind through music and conversation, satisfaction of the senses. There was a degree of secularization in the renaissance that did tend to feel pleasures (if not evil) were ok, and sensual pleasure was alright. Put the courtesan in an ambiguous position. Some of the courtesans had sufficient literary ability and education to write and particularly write poetry.
