“Libertinism is loving in the plural, While remaining singular.”
If you’re a libertine, or not, and you’re curious…like us, have you ever wondered where this art of sexual freedom came from and when its history goes back to?
The history of libertinism is rich and complex, dating back many centuries. Libertarianism is a concept that has evolved over time, with different incarnations throughout the ages.
#Antiquité
To begin with, let’s go back toantiquity. It’s to this time that we can trace the origins of libertinism; particularly in ancient Greece, which we like to call our erotic Greece! Greek philosophers such as Epicurus and Democritus had ideas about sexual freedom and pleasure. Libertinism was associated with pleasure-seeking, epicureanism and the rejection of sexual taboos.
#Renaissance
Let’s go back to school – where, of course, it wasn’t libertinism we studied ^^ – and move on to the Renaissance, in Europe (14th-16th centuries), where the term “libertine” took on a more explicit meaning. Libertines were often associated with intellectual and literary movements, particularly in France, where writers such as Rabelais, Montaigne and La Boétie wrote on themes of sexual freedom and challenging moral and religious norms.
#17th century
In the 17th century, libertinism reached its apogee in France, under the reign of Louis XIV. Libertines” were nobles and members of the royal court who indulged in a decadent lifestyle characterized by free sex, debauchery and the subversion of social norms. Writers such as the Marquis de Sade became emblematic of this era.
#19th century
In the 19th century, libertinism was called into question as Western societies moved towards stricter moral standards and better regulation of morals. However, certain literary and artistic movements, such as Romanticism, continued to explore themes of sexual freedom and non-conformity.
#20th century
Finally, libertinism was revived in the 20th century with the advent of modern sexual culture. The hippy movements of the 1960s and subsequent social changes encouraged greater sexual freedom. The history of libertinism is marked bychanging social, cultural and religiousnorms, as well as by philosophical ideas about freedom and pleasure.
#21st century
Today, libertarianism has become a way of life for some, embodied in libertine clubs, online dating platforms and communities dedicated to self-exploration and pleasure. In the 21st century, we owe it to ourselves to perpetuate this Art of sexual freedom, to defend it, modernize it, demystify it, make it accessible to all and give it a more inclusive dimension.
