Hidden and secret libraries
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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A private case refers to a hidden or secret library.
Many European libraries possess a collection of erotic and pornographic literature and prints. Since the 19th century and during the best part of the 20th century, these collections were kept in a private room, away from the general public. In France this collection was called L'Enfer (Eng: hell) and in Great Britain it was called The Private Case. Guillaume Apollinaire in France and Patrick J. Kearney in Great Britain were the first to catalog these collections.
Private cases share many qualities with secret museums.
In German, these collections are called Giftschrank or Remota.
One could ask why the respective governments decided to keep the forbidden books instead of burning them. Already in 1794 abbé Grégoire writes that it is necessary to catalogue the books that are in the enfer because of their role in social history: « Les œuvres érotiques servent à l’histoire de l’humanité, des mœurs, des coutumes et des arts. C’est sur les productions de cette espèce que l’observateur éclairé juge souvent le siècle qui les a vus naître».
Bibliography
- The Private Case: An annotated bibliography of the Private Case Erotica Collection in the British (Museum) Library (1981) - Patrick J Kearney, see British Library
