Hidden and secret libraries
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| This page is on [[hidden]] and/or [[secret]] [[library|libraries]], analogous to [[secret museum]]s. | This page is on [[hidden]] and/or [[secret]] [[library|libraries]], analogous to [[secret museum]]s. | ||
| - | 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 ''[[Enfer de la BNF|L'Enfer]]'' (Eng: [[hell]], founded in 1836) and in Great Britain it was called the ''[[Private Case]]'' (founded in 1857). | + | Many European [[national 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 ''[[Enfer de la BNF|L'Enfer]]'' (Eng: [[hell]], founded in 1836) and in Great Britain it was called the ''[[Private Case]]'' (founded in 1857). |
| - | Private cases share many qualities with [[Secret Museum|secret museum]]s. | + | Many of these works came from private collections as inheritances, but also from [[royal library|royal libraries]]. One could ask why the respective governments decided to [[preservation|preserve]] the [[forbidden books]] instead of [[book burning|burning]] them. A partial explanation is already given in [[1794]] when [[abbé Grégoire]] writes that it is necessary to catalogue the books that are in the 'enfer' because of their role in [[social history]]: |
| - | In German, these collections are called ''[[Giftschrank]]'' or ''[[Remota]]''. | + | :« 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».[https://archive.org/stream/lenferdelabiblio00apol#page/4/mode/2up/search/Tacite] |
| - | + | ||
| - | Many of these works came from private collections as inheritances. One could ask why the respective governments decided to keep the [[forbidden books]] instead of [[book burning|burning]] them. A partial explanation is already given in [[1794]] when [[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». | + | |
| In English: | In English: | ||
| - | :"Erotic literature serve in the history of humanity, manners, customs and arts. It is by productions of this nature that insightful observers often consider the century that saw their birth." | + | :"[[Erotic literature]] serves in the history of humanity, of manners, of customs and arts. It is by productions of this nature that insightful observers often judges the century that saw their birth." |
| ==Examples== | ==Examples== | ||
| - | ===L'Enfer=== | + | ===France: L'Enfer=== |
| :''[[Enfer de la BNF]]'' | :''[[Enfer de la BNF]]'' | ||
| '''L'Enfer''' (French for [[hell]]) refers to the [[secret library]] of the [[Bibliothèque nationale de France|French national library]]. Founded in the [[1836]], it separated works which were an "[[outrage aux bonnes mœurs]]" from the rest of the library collection. Its name supposedly is derived from ''enfermé'', French for locked up. The contents of this library were cataloged by [[Pascal Pia]] and [[Guillaume Apollinaire]] in the [[1913]] ''[[Les livres de l'Enfer]]'', and in 2007 the "Enfer" was opened to the public in an exhibition titled ''[[Eros au secret]]''. | '''L'Enfer''' (French for [[hell]]) refers to the [[secret library]] of the [[Bibliothèque nationale de France|French national library]]. Founded in the [[1836]], it separated works which were an "[[outrage aux bonnes mœurs]]" from the rest of the library collection. Its name supposedly is derived from ''enfermé'', French for locked up. The contents of this library were cataloged by [[Pascal Pia]] and [[Guillaume Apollinaire]] in the [[1913]] ''[[Les livres de l'Enfer]]'', and in 2007 the "Enfer" was opened to the public in an exhibition titled ''[[Eros au secret]]''. | ||
| - | There are actually two secret libraries dating back to the [[19th century]] : [[l'enfer des Estampes]] (site [[Richelieu]]) and the '''l'enfer des Imprimés''' ([[Site de Tolbiac (François-Mitterrand) of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France|Tolbiac]]). | + | ===The United Kingdom: Private Case=== |
| - | + | ||
| - | ===Private Case=== | + | |
| :''[[Private Case]]'' | :''[[Private Case]]'' | ||
| - | The '''Private Case''' of the [[British Library]] refers to a formerly [[secret library]]; a collection of books and other items; not normally available to general readers. It was established in 1857 and the core of the collection is the bequest of the Victorian collector [[Henry Spencer Ashbee]] in 1900. Other significant contributions include a bequest of [[Charles Reginald Dawes]] in 1964, and [[Beecher Moore]] also in 1964. None of the items in the collection have been purchased or acquired via [[Copyright deposit library|copyright deposit]]. In 1981 [[Patrick J Kearney]] compiled a bibliography of the 1,914 significant books in the Private Case, which includes a substantial introduction by American social critic and folklorist [[Gershon Legman]]. The collection contains works by notable figures in the world of written erotica including [[John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester|The Earl of Rochester]], [[The Marquis de Sade]] and [[William Simpson Potter]]. | + | The '''Private Case''' of the [[British Library]] refers to a formerly [[secret library]]; a collection of books and other items; not normally available to general readers. It was established in 1857 and the core of the collection is the bequest of the Victorian collector [[Henry Spencer Ashbee]] in 1900. Other significant contributions include a bequest of [[Charles Reginald Dawes]] in 1964, and [[Beecher Moore]] also in 1964. None of the items in the collection have been purchased or acquired via [[Copyright deposit library|copyright deposit]]. In 1981 [[Patrick J Kearney]] compiled a bibliography of the 1,914 significant books in the Private Case, which includes a substantial introduction by American social critic and folklorist [[Gershon Legman]]. |
| - | + | ||
| - | In recent years the British Library has dispersed much of this material formerly kept in reserve into the main collections. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ==History== | + | |
| - | In the French [[cabinet de lecture]] ([[reading room]]s) one could find "armoires de fer" (literally: iron cases), containing the forbidden books. | + | ===Germany: Giftschränke or Remota=== |
| + | :''[[Der Giftschrank. Remota: Die weggesperrten Bücher der Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek]]'' | ||
| - | :L’attention du gouvernement se portait également sur la librairie des romans, qui avait grand besoin d’être épurée. La plupart des cabinets de lecture avaient, pour ainsi dire, une [[Enfer (bibliothèque)|armoire de fer]], ouverte à tout venant, et qui contenait les romans [[égrillard]]s de [[Henri-Joseph Dulaurens|Dulaurens]], [[Pigault-Lebrun]], [[Victor Henri-Joseph Brahain Ducange|Victor Ducange]], Raban, Cuisin. La plupart des ouvrages de ces auteurs étaient mis à l’[[Index Librorum Prohibitorum|index]]. À l’index aussi : ''[[le Tableau de l’amour conjugal]]'', ''[[les Amours du chevalier de Faublas]]'', ''[[Thémidore]]'', ''[[Amélie de Saint-Phar]]'', ''[[Felicia ou mes fredaines]]'', ''[[Julie ou j’ai sauvé ma rose]]'', ''[[le Parc aux Cerfs]]'', les ''Contes'' de [[Claude-Henri de Fusée de Voisenon|Voisenon]], ''[[les Liaisons dangereuses]]'', ''[[l'Heptaméron]]'', etc. Étaient également interdits : tous les livres philosophiques de [[Julien Offray de La Mettrie|La Mettrie]], de [[Nicolas Fréret|Fréret]], de [[Boulanger]], du baron [[Paul Henri Thiry d'Holbach|D’Holbach]], de [[Charles-François Dupuis|Dupuis]], de [[Volney]], du curé [[Jean Meslier|Meslier]], certains ouvrages de [[Jean-Jacques Rousseau|Rousseau]], [[Denis Diderot|Diderot]], [[Voltaire]] et [[Montesquieu]]. --from the French [[Cabinet de lecture]] article | + | Germany too had its hidden or secret libraries. These collections were known as ''[[Giftschrank|Giftschränke]]'' or ''[[Remota]]''. In 2001 there was an exhibition of such a collection at the [[Bayerische StaatsBibliothek]]. |
| ==Bibliography== | ==Bibliography== | ||
| Line 40: | Line 31: | ||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| *[[Secret museum]] | *[[Secret museum]] | ||
| - | *[[Giftschrank]] | + | *[[Giftschrank|Giftschränk]]e and [[Remota]] |
| - | *[[Remota]] | + | |
| *[[L'Enfer]] | *[[L'Enfer]] | ||
| *[[Banned books]] | *[[Banned books]] | ||
Current revision
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Featured: |
This page is on hidden and/or secret libraries, analogous to secret museums.
Many European national 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, founded in 1836) and in Great Britain it was called the Private Case (founded in 1857).
Many of these works came from private collections as inheritances, but also from royal libraries. One could ask why the respective governments decided to preserve the forbidden books instead of burning them. A partial explanation is already given in 1794 when 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».[1]
In English:
- "Erotic literature serves in the history of humanity, of manners, of customs and arts. It is by productions of this nature that insightful observers often judges the century that saw their birth."
Contents |
[edit]
Examples
[edit]
France: L'Enfer
L'Enfer (French for hell) refers to the secret library of the French national library. Founded in the 1836, it separated works which were an "outrage aux bonnes mœurs" from the rest of the library collection. Its name supposedly is derived from enfermé, French for locked up. The contents of this library were cataloged by Pascal Pia and Guillaume Apollinaire in the 1913 Les livres de l'Enfer, and in 2007 the "Enfer" was opened to the public in an exhibition titled Eros au secret.
[edit]
The United Kingdom: Private Case
The Private Case of the British Library refers to a formerly secret library; a collection of books and other items; not normally available to general readers. It was established in 1857 and the core of the collection is the bequest of the Victorian collector Henry Spencer Ashbee in 1900. Other significant contributions include a bequest of Charles Reginald Dawes in 1964, and Beecher Moore also in 1964. None of the items in the collection have been purchased or acquired via copyright deposit. In 1981 Patrick J Kearney compiled a bibliography of the 1,914 significant books in the Private Case, which includes a substantial introduction by American social critic and folklorist Gershon Legman.
[edit]
Germany: Giftschränke or Remota
Germany too had its hidden or secret libraries. These collections were known as Giftschränke or Remota. In 2001 there was an exhibition of such a collection at the Bayerische StaatsBibliothek.
[edit]
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
[edit]
See also
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Hidden and secret libraries" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
