Six years later, he published a new, revised edition, under the title La nouvelle Justine, this was later supplemented by a new extension under the title L'Histoire de Juliette, sa soeur. Due to the pornographic images featured in the work, which were deemed as obscene, in 1798 the text was banned and Sade was imprisoned in 1801.
De Sade's erotic works combine philosophy with pornography, laden with images of sexual fantasies, some which were violent and blasphemous against the Catholic Church. He believed in the ultimate extreme freed, unrestrained by morality, religion and law. It is no surprise, that the words ''sadism'' and ''sadist'' derive from his name.
In total, de Sade spent 32 years in both jails and insane asylums, with many of his works written whilst he was detained.
The work includes one of de Sade's most infamous writings: a pamphlet on the new republican government which makes the case for atheism and that if any crime is committed while seeking pleasure, it cannot be condemned.
An expert of the works of John Cleland, David Foxon concludes that this version of Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure is the second known edition of the work, dated 1760.
John Cleland's erotic epistolary novel Fanny Hill (in the original English subtitled Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure) is told from the perspective of a woman, portraying the protagonist's sexual life in 18th century England. Cleland's lead character indulges the reader in her erotic adventures with a number of men. A woman as the protagonist of their own erotic biography makes this work one of the most oppressed books of literary history from the 18th century. It was only in 1963 it was fully acquitted by a New York tribunal.
All works featured will be in Koller's sale on September 24. From September 19-24 Old Master and 19th century painting, porcelain, jewelry and furniture will also be going under the gavel. Check out the full catalog here.