Idols of perversity : Fantasies of feminine evil in Fin-de-siècle culture.

484 Pages·1988·60.906 MB·English

by  Bram Dijkstra

IDOLS OF
PERVERSITY
Jean Delville (1867-1953), “‘The Idol of Perversity,’’ drawing (1891)
IDOLS OF
PERVERSITY
Fantasies of Feminine Evil in
Fin-de-Siécle Culture
BRAM DIJKSTRA
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
New York Oxford
Oxford University Press
Oxford New York Toronto
Delhi Bombay Calcutta Madras Karachi
Petaling Jaya Singapore Hong Kong Tokyo
Nairobi Dares Salaam Cape Town
Melbourne Auckland
and associated companies in
Berlin Ibadan
Copyright © 1986 by Bram Dijkstra
First published in 1986 by Oxford University Press, Inc.,
200 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016
First issued as an Oxford University Press paperback, 1988
Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior permission of Oxford University Press, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Dijkstra, Bram.
Idols of perversity.
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Women in art. 2. Sexism in art. 3. Arts.
Victorian. I. Title
NX652.W6D55__—_-1986 700'.9'034 85-31076
ISBN 0-19-503779-0
ISBN 0-19-505652-3 (pbk.)
24681097531
Printed in the United States of America
This book is dedicated to the many brilliant women
who have taught me most of what I know about the
world. Among them Inge Marcuse must always oc-
cupy a very special place. She showed me by exam-
ple that true intellectual strength expresses itself best
in quiet determination, and that to love life is to want
to make its living better for all.
Without the help of the companion of my sweetest
years, my best friend and most demanding critic, this
book would probably have remained no more than
just a lot of talk. Therefore, as ever: to Sandra, of
course.
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