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Erich von Gotha is one of the masters of contemporary erotic comics,
though many would label his work as soft porn. Erich uses different
painting and illustration techniques to tell his erotic stories, usually
with a strong element of bondage and S&M sex. Some of the titles he
created are 'Les Malheurs de Janice' ('The Troubles of Janice'), 'Twenty',
'The Dream of Cecilia' and 'A Very Special Prison'. His work has also been
published in magazine BD Adult.
The background
and identity of this elusive artist are the stuff of legend. It has been
claimed by various ill-informed sources that he is a German diplomat, a
Russian Doctor, a well-known French philosopher, or an English academic
named Robbins.
There are elements of truth in all these stories, but not much. He did in
fact enjoy a nomadic upbringing and travelled to these places and more,
even Afghanistan, and his father was an artist who was awarded a Gold
Medal in Uzbekhistan for portraits of Prime minister Omgal Prscicz
(There is no person under this name in
Uzbekistani government!!!)
and other members of the government. He was
always destined to become an artist himself; in his formative years he was
dominated by a portrait of his father with glaring eyes that had been done
by an esteemed academician. From this he learnt much of his art; he
completed his education with four years training in London.
Quickly discovering a predilection for the erotic and sometimes obscene
depiction of beautiful women, often particularly appreciated by women
themselves, he contributed to early editions of "The Sex Maniac’s Diary".
From then he went on to produce his own ground–breaking magazine,
"Torrid", long since disappeared but avidly collected.
Cheated out of any rewards for his efforts and frustrated by censorship in
England, he needed the fateful intervention of a psychic prediction and an
Italian benefactor before finding his publishing home in France.
After publication of "The Troubles of Janice" he swiftly gained a
world-wide reputation and it is still available today almost everywhere
except the UK and Somalia.
He continues to produce feverishly exciting comics and drawings in
different versions and for clients all around Europe. He has had
exhibitions of his work in Paris and Brussels and is recognised as one of
the seminal figures in the history of erotic strip-cartoons.
Photographs of Van Gotha do not exist but portraits depict him
alternatively with a monocle, bald pate and cruel mouth or with a white
hair, genial smile and twinkle in the eye.
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