Kushner might have done well to compare the parisian kept women to elite prostitutes elsewhere in the world and to explain the significance of mistress keeping for our understanding of eighteenth century society even so erotic exchanges lifts the veil covering elite extramarital sexuality in eighteenth century paris historians of women . In spring 1758 dame boujard entrusted her thirteen year old daughter marie to the elite brothel owner madame varenne who promptly set about hawking the girls we use cookies to enhance your experience on our websiteby continuing to use our website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. These are some of the numerous and intriguing questions which nina kushner asks in her book erotic exchanges the world of elite prostitution in eighteenth century paris through references to police archive documents as well as enticing narratives of real episodes from the lives of these high class prostitutes kushner does bring to life this . In erotic exchanges nina kushner reveals the complex world of elite prostitution in eighteenth century paris by focusing on the professional mistresses who dominated it in this demimonde these dames entretenues exchanged sex company and sometimes even love for being kept. In erotic exchanges nina kushner reveals the complex world of elite prostitution in eighteenth century paris the demimonde by focusing on the professional mistresses who dominated itthese dames entretenues exchanged sex company and sometimes even love for being kept most of these women entered the profession unwillingly either because they were desperate and could find no other