Voluptuaries

Voluptuaries are people, especially those of wealth or high social standing, who are devoted to the pursuit and enjoyment of luxury, sensual pleasures, and physical comfort. They often prioritize their own gratification, indulging in fine food, lavish surroundings, and other forms of opulent living. Their lives revolve around seeking the maximum amount of pleasurable experiences and avoiding any form of hardship or discomfort. The term implies a certain degree of self-indulgence and can sometimes carry a negative connotation of moral weakness or shallowness.

Voluptuaries meaning with examples

• The wealthy voluptuaries of the Roman Empire are notorious for their extravagant banquets and indulgent lifestyles, often neglecting their civic duties for personal pleasure. Their pursuit of sensory experiences, such as opulent clothing and fine wines, dominated their world. History records their endless quests for the new pleasures, and the decay and decadence that resulted.
• Gatsby, in Fitzgerald's novel, can be considered a modern **voluptuary**, using his wealth to create a life filled with parties and material possessions in pursuit of his idealized dream, even though his enjoyment of these often seems hollow or unfulfilling. He used his wealth to build a fortress of ease and beauty.
• The art world, throughout the ages, has often been populated by patrons and collectors who, as voluptuaries, delight in the aesthetic and sensual beauty of the art pieces they acquire, thus expanding their luxury experience. This is often accompanied by displays of extreme wealth.
• Historical figures who were described as voluptuaries would often spend their fortunes on sumptuous palaces, elaborate gardens, and other extravagant trappings of power. Their lives were aimed at the greatest comfort, beauty, and pleasure available to them.
• Some critics see modern society's obsession with designer goods and exclusive experiences as evidence of a culture increasingly populated by voluptuaries, who place their own self-gratification above all else. Their lives revolve around comfort and convenience.