One day, the 19 th century courtesan Esther Guimond was traveling through Naples when she was stopped for a routine examination of her passport. When asked her profession, she quietly and discreetly told the official that she was a woman of independent means. Take care to remember it! She entices her client not only with her beauty and seductive qualities, but also with her education, talents, and charm.
For a high fee, a courtesan would entertain as well as providing companionship to the man she is with such as accompanying him to a social event in place of his wife. These women came from a variety of backgrounds. Others were actresses who continued to perform both on and off the stage. She may begin as an assistant or companion to another courtesan to learn the trade, or she may begin as a mistress to a wealthy man. As women began to realize the degree of freedom and independence of becoming a courtesan, widows, divorcees, and even upper-class women sought out the courtesan lifestyle.
A very successful courtesan could be very wealthy and even host parties in their own homes. The life of a courtesan was considered opulent. However, even when the courtesan was no longer considered young, beautiful, and desirable, some women retained many clients through their knowledge and engaging personalities. Others who did not fare as well faded into obscurity, perhaps marrying or retiring into an ordinary existence.
As courtesans operate in hierarchical societies, societies that emphasize court cultures, they are well-worth studying for their arts as well as their roles as indicators of political and social change.
They are frequently among the most important stewards of artistic traditions and creativity. Courtesans were an important part of the social fabric in ancient Greece and Rome, as well as most places in the Far East and South Asia. Some ancient courtesans were among the best-educated, literate, and cultured women of their time. They composed and performed music, as well as painted and danced.
