This section of tribute to Félicien ROPS contains works particularly of a sexual nature likely to shock or provoke controversy for some, and on the contrary to naturally delight others. They are grouped here so as not to bother anyone.
In the 19th century, Félicien Rops made this profession of faith throughout his life. He was born in Namur in Belgium on 7 July 1833. He was a friend of Baudelaire, whom he illustrated in his collections. Rops' work and his lifestyle reflect the independence of spirit and creation that characterised his art and his life. A free thinker and Freemason, he remains one of the most creative, free, sulphurous and provocative men in the eyes of the general public, and a determining factor in the history of Western art.
Arthur Rimbaud, his near contemporary, was born 21 years after Rops. He was abandoned by his friends after the publication of ‘Le bateau ivre’, on the pretext of bad taste. He would take the opposite approach by unintentionally inventing the concept of the ‘MAUVAIS GENRE’.
And here we are.