Courtesans

This time the story is set in the tight-knit world of courtesans aka classy prostitutes of the Belle Époque, the French age of innocence which preceded the carnage of the First World War. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Before I saw titled courtesans I had read Boccaccio and Bandello; above all, I had read Shakespeare. ❋ Various (N/A)

Among them literature and sensuality appeared in revolting combination, for their courtesans were their only females who attended to the culture of the intellect. ❋ Unknown (1854)

While the Duke of Valentinois was making one of his excursions in the neighbourhood of the town with his retinue of flattering nobles and titled courtesans, who were always about him, he noticed a cortege an the Rimini road so numerous that it must surely indicate the approach of someone of importance. ❋ Alexandre Dumas P��re (1836)

The first time I saw titled courtesans I read Boccaccio and Andallo; tasting of everything, I read Shakespeare. ❋ Alfred De Musset (1833)

The gains of the wealthiest and best kind of courtesans are to be spent as follows: ❋ Unknown (2006)

It is perhaps best to begin with birth: I would therefore warn those who desire to be fathers of notable sons, not to form connections with any kind of women, such as courtesans or mistresses: for those who either on the father or mother's side are ill-born have the disgrace of their origin all their life long irretrievably present with them, and offer a ready handle to abuse and vituperation. ❋ 46-120? Plutarch (N/A)

(These so-called courtesans have little in common with comfortably maintained mistresses like Madame du Pompadour or Verdi's Violetta Valéry. ❋ Unknown (2008)

It wasn't 100 years ago, when (according to Colette, at least) a subculture of "courtesans" achieved prototypical notoriety/celebrity. ❋ Unknown (2009)

"courtesans" sip Pepsi and Jack Daniel's as Mr. Wang peeks out from behind a curtain. ❋ By KAREN ROSENBERG (2011)

She supplies most of the " courtesans " for the more established and wealthy young men " and some of the handsome " escorts for widows or bored consorts. " ❋ Modesitt, L. E. (1995)

He imported rare delicacies from distant lands for his table and bought celebrated Athenian courtesans for his bed. ❋ Philip Freeman (2011)

(Maybe you don't want to expose younger kids to that - he likes getting into some gritty detail, and really loves covering (in) famous courtesans.) ❋ Unknown (2009)

And those figurative ukiyo-e prints literally "of the floating world" of geisha, courtesans, prostitutes, and queer samaurai and kabuki actors beloved by the impressionists and their ilk as often as not chronicled the last gasp of indigenous pan-sexuality that moralistic Western states demanded the Japanese purge themselves of in order to benefit from their much-needed trade. ❋ G. Roger Denson (2011)

Among the hundreds of guests invited, there were duplicate costumes, with three Catherine the Greats, eight Madame de Maintenons, ten Madame de Pompadours, and a host of courtiers, cavaliers and courtesans. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Volumes have been written about French courtesans who've serviced men of all rank; more contemporarily, French literature and cinema has brought to America a world where innumerable affairs within affairs are nestled like Russian dolls in snug, libidinous stacks. ❋ Debra Ollivier (2011)