[CHAUSSARD, Pierre Jean Baptiste]. Fêtes et Courtisanes de la Grèce. Supplément aux Voyages d’Anacharsis et d’Antenor..., augmentée de notes piquantes sur la Mythologie comparée..., Paris, chez les principaux libraires, MDCCCXXI [=1821].

Pierre-Jean-Baptiste Chaussard (1766-1823) was a prolific French writer, as well as art critic, poet and revolutionary politician. He was a member of the Theophilanthropy movement during the French revolution. Chaussard was very influenced by J.J. Barthélemy’s “Voyage du jeune Anacharsis”, a highly successful fictional recreation of the ancient Greek world which doubles as travel narrative, and by E.Fr. Lantier’s similar work, “Voyages d'Anténor en Grèce et en Asie”. Impacted by these works, Chaussard composed this sensual essay, where he elaborates on questions of ancient Greek religion, customs and usages of ancient Greece, on festivities (heroic, family and state feasts), on dance (tragic, comic, satirical, lyrical and family dance). His text includes theatrical dialogues from the life of famous courtisans, such as Aspasia, Phryne and Laïs and a narrative on the adventures of poet Sappho of Lesbos.

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou