Félicien Rops was born in 1833 and died in 1898, and so lived through the 19th century, a period of upheaval marked by industrial progress, changing customs and the modernity that was give rise to symbolism in art. “I spend my time containing myself and I have a furious desire to smash this straitjacket of conventions which civilised societies use to restrain primitive natures. […] To go far away from the world 'comme il faut' to finally live my life in excitement and movement”