Summary
Originally published in Latin in the 19th century, De Figuris Veneris (translated as Manual of Classical Erotology) is a scholarly yet explicit compendium of ancient Greco-Roman sexual customs, practices, and terminology.
Compiled by philosopher and classicist Friedrich Karl Forberg, the work draws upon literary, medical, and artistic sources from antiquity to categorize and analyze the many forms of erotic expression in the classical world.
The book was intended as an academic supplement to a now-obscure philosophical treatise but quickly gained notoriety for its unabashed treatment of sexual acts and practices, making it a rare and controversial document that straddles the line between erotic literature and academic anthropology.