The Legacy of De Sade

The man and his works have continued to inspire artists

Title: Marat/sade

Author: Peter Weiss

This 1964 play features De Sade himself as a character and takes place during his final years in a mental institution. De Sade stages a dramatic reimagining of the assassination of Jean-paul Marat, a device Weiss uses to discuss ideas of revolution and philosophy. Weiss paints De Sade as an individualist and nihilist. The play was later filmed in 1967 by Peter Brook and features Ian Richardson and Patrick Magee.

Title: Imaginary Portrait of the Marquis de Sade

Author: Man Ray

From 1936 onwards the surrealist artist Man Ray produced a series of works known as the ‘imaginary series’, all meant to be portraits of De Sade. He also created a work known as Monument à D.A.F. de Sade after viewing the manuscript of The 120 Days of

Sodom. This striking work showed a woman’s behind framed by an upside down cross and has been used on various paperback covers.

Title: l’age D’OR

Author: Salvador Dali and Luis Buñuel

This 1930 surrealist satirical film by Salvador Dali and Luis Buñuel has, as its final segment, a sequence which acts as a coda to The 120

Days of Sodom, with the four men emerging from their castle. Dali created a number of works based on De Sade’s writings.

Title: Quills

Author: Doug Wright

This 1995 play was so successful that it won an Obie Award before being adapted for the screen in 2000. Starring Geoffrey Rush as De Sade, Phillip Kaufman’s film was nominated for three Oscars, including best actor for Rush. The film has numerous historical inaccuracies, however, due to the filmmaker using De Sade as a vessel through which to discuss philosophical issues.