Its title refers to the supposed but impossible collaboration between Agostino Carracci (1557–1602) and Pietro Aretino (1492–1556) on a collection of erotic images and verse entitled I Modi, but it was not based on their work.
[3] Instead, Coiny's works seem to have been inspired by the erotic poses in 'The Loves of the Gods' executed in Antwerp at the start of the 17th century in burin by Pieter de Jode I (1570–1634).
[5] "L'Arétin" in the title probably does not specifically refer to Pietro Aretino and his original poems for I Modi – by the mid 17th century, an "Arétin" referred to any work reproducing pornography using mythological scenes.
Coiny's other works include engravings of battle paintings by Louis-François Lejeune.
His pupils included Théodore Richomme and his son Joseph Coiny won the Prix de Rome for engraving in 1816.