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Sadist is a person who derives pleasure, especially sexual gratification, from inflicting pain, suffering or humiliation on others. The term is derived from the name of Donatien Alphonse François de Sade, compte de Sade, also known as the Marquis de Sade (June 2, 1740 – December 2, 1814).

This 18th century French soldier and writer had his career interrupted by long periods of imprisonment for cruelty and debauchery. While in prison he wrote several sexually explicit works which explored the darker side of sexuality.

Marquis de Sade was born in Paris in June 2, 1740 to a noble family and fought in the French army during the Seven Years’ War. In 1772 he was tried and sentenced to death for a series of sexual crimes. He escaped to Italy, but on his return to Paris in 1777 he was arrested and imprisoned at Vincennes. After six years at Vincennes he was removed to the Bastille and in 1789 to the Charenton lunatic asylum. He was released from the asylum in 1790 but arrested again in 1801. For the rest of his life he was moved from prison to prison and in 1803 again incarcerated at Charenton, where he died in 1814.

In many of his writings, which include The Crimes of Love, Juliette and Philosophy in the Bedroom, Marquis de Sade described in great detail some of the extreme and sometimes cruel sexual activities that he himself practiced.

The term sadism, originally used by psychiatrists to denote what they consider a neurosis wherein sexual satisfaction is gained by the infliction of pain on others, was derived from his name. In de Sade’s philosophy, both criminal and sexually deviant acts are regarded as natural. His works were condemned as obscene and their publication was banned well into the 20th century. They are more freely available now, so you can decide for yourself whether de Marquis de Sade was a persecuted surrealist before the term was fashionable or just cruel and crazy.