most beautiful landscape. At the present time he often goes about at night in the corridors of hotels,[1] seeking elegant ladies’ shoes, which he kisses and presses against his face and neck, but principally against his penis.
The patient, who is very well-to-do, a short time ago went voluntarily to Italy, only with the thought of becoming the servant of a rich and distinguished lady unacquainted with him; but the plan failed. The patient, who came only for consultation, has not yet been treated medically.
The foregoing history reaches almost to the present time, and in the interval he has made me communications by letter concerning his condition. It does not require an extensive commentary. It seems to me to be one of the best cases to illustrate the relationship between shoe-fetichism and masochism, as set forth by von Krafft-Ebing.[2] The principal charm for the patient, as he, without leading questions, always emphasizes, is his subjection to a woman, who, in pride and position, must be as far above him as possible.Such cases, in which, within a fully-developed circle of masochistic ideas, the foot and the shoe or boot of a woman, conceived as a means of humiliation, have become the objects of especial sexual interest, are numerous. Through numerous degrees that are easily discriminated, they form the demonstrable transition to other cases in which the masochistic inclinations retreat more and more to the background, and little by little pass beyond the threshold of consciousness; while the interest in women’s shoes, apparently absolutely inexplicable, alone remains in consciousness. The latter are the numerous cases of shoe-fetichism. These very frequent cases of shoe-lovers, which, like all cases of fetichism, possess forensic interest (theft of shoes), occupy a position midway between masochism and fetichism. The majority or all may be looked upon as instances of larvated masochism (the motive remaining unconscious) in which the
- ↑ In Continental hotels the guests are accustomed to put their shoes in the corridors at night, to be cleaned.
- ↑ However, against the theory that foot- and shoe- fetichism is a manifestation of (latent) masochism, Dr. Moll (op. cit., p. 136) raises the objection that it is still unexplained why the fetichist so often prefers boots with high heels, then boots and shoes of a particular kind—buttoned or laced. To this objection it may be remarked that, in the first place, the high heels characterize the shoes as feminine; and, in the second place, that in spite of the sexual character of his inclination, the fetichist demands all kinds of æsthetic qualities in his fetich (comp. Case 90).
