Pietro Aretino revolutionized literature and criticism in the Renaissance. His works were generally considered unpublishable in the prudish milieu pervading English literature in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
A few mavericks, fortunately, didn’t buy into the censorship of these times. One of those was Samuel Putnam. His son, Hilary Putnam, has kindly given permission to publish, for the internet, his father's pioneering work.
The illustrations are by the Marquis de Bayros, whose life was also surrounded by controversy and was one of the first moderns to successfully protest against censorship of Art.
Begin reading about Aretino, his life and his work here.