Why is it that the Marquis de Sade is quite often referred to as the « divine » marquis when it’s no secret that he was anything BUT divine?

Well, the designation was given to him in the late 19th century by scholars who compared him to Pietro Aretino (1492 – 1556) who was an Italian author considered to be the first erotic/pornographic writer of Modern Times and who, out of pride and self-derision, had proclaimed himself in his time as the « divine Aretino ». The Tuscan poet was a close friend of Titian (who painted his portrait several times). He died in Venice at the age of 64 by falling backwards and breaking his skull as he burst into laughter after hearing a particularly obscene joke. What a way to go!

Now, about the not-so-divine-but-fascinating Marquis, suppose you want to know more about him (because everybody knows of him, yet few people really know about him), I can tell you a lot about his personal life while you’re in Paris. We can for example visit one of the many cells he was incarcerated in... And, what do you know, if you hire me and my car to bring you to the French Riviera, I can take you to visit the beautiful ruins of his beloved chateau of Lacoste in Provence (roughly between Avignon and Aix-en-Provence). Only there can you fully realize how a tormented soul like his could also be moved by beauty…

Women, how they get carried away...