A BRIEF HISTORY and PHILOSOPHY OF EROTIC ART

The word erotic in any context is at a bare minimum provocative.  Perhaps it is this provocation that has inspired so many great artists throughout the centuries to create interesting and unique works.  Yet, after all of this time these works are still looked upon as abstract by many people, which could in theory, be the very reason it is still of interest in many cultures.  The actual origin of erotic art cannot be accurately placed, what we do know is that it is everywhere and has been for a very long time.  Erotic art can be found everywhere from ancient tombs in Egypt, to caves in North America.  In this brief explanation erotic art history we will discuss several things relating to the actual motives and direct results of erotic art on society throughout history.  Keep in mind that the subject of erotic art is a vast one. No one can know for sure how many actual erotic artists and styles are out there, which as you can imagine would make it difficult to touch on every angle.  Therefore, what we have done is put together some brief history and philosophy that we believe you will find interesting.

When is Erotic Art Tasteful? Sexy...?

“That seems to be the eternal question.  Every culture seems to have a different opinion on what is tasteful and what is not.  For example, western culture seems to be fixated on the actual act being portrayed, or the specific body parts that might be shown in any given work.  Whereas some Middle Eastern block countries might not be so privy to the whole Idea of erotic art in general. This may be a direct result of their specific religious culture, or possibly a more united sense of morality than the western countries.  Not to say that western countries have any less moral than other countries, but the history of western culture is considered to be of a mixed nature.   Now that we have some idea about how culture directly affects the view of what is tasteful, let’s look at the principals that decide what is or is not tasteful.  First and foremost religion has always had a heavy influence on erotic art and the artists themselves.  Not to say that it was always a bad influence, but an influence none the less.  Secondly, culture in general directly affects how people think or believe on any given subject.  Culture and Religion are actually indirectly one in the same.  Together this cultural and religious mixture creates a churning kettle of morality, meaning that not all people, even from the same culture, will always share the exact same morals.  It would also be safe to say that cultures change over the years.  Obviously so do culture's ideas about certain subjects. Erotic art will always fall under some type of scrutiny in all corners of the world. History has shown this to us.  The fact of the matter is that all of these things affect how people perceive erotic art.  When is it tasteful, When is it not? As August Rodin once said “In art, immorality cannot exist.  Art is always sacred.”

Politics and Erotic Art

“Politics and art have crossed each other's paths many times throughout history.  Whether it is a cartoon rendition of political leaders or music written about societal oppression, art has always been there.  It is no big secret that Erotic artists have taken the brunt of the political platform.  Persecution and public outrage were a way of life for many artists.  Take for instance, the erotic artist Franz von Bayros. This particular artist was run out of Germany in 1911 for his works in the ‘Tales from the dressing table’ collection, and was forced to move to a new town in Europe every time one of his works was banned by local lawmakers.  This did not stop Franz from doing what he loved, he just kept doing his works and moving on “This is the kind of scrutiny that was dealt with by all erotic artists, especially in that particular time period. Many artists would use their medium to ridicule or make statements about religious leaders or other public leaders.  Even the great Pablo Picasso fell under public scrutiny in his later years. Picasso’s neo-expressionism pieces which were produced from 1968 to 1971 were coined by critics as ‘incoherent scribblings of a frenetic old man’ and ‘pornographic fantasies of an old man’. Although the politics of Picasso’s work was more of a critic’s political situation it is politics all the same.  These are only a few of the many erotic artists that dealt with power figures or critics. Many more too numerous to mention have been through similar situations over the years.  Artists will always be around whether it is erotic art or otherwise.  These unique creators known to us as artists are willing to do just about anything to keep doing what they love. Furthermore, will unfailingly be the hub of expression in society.”

The Modern Erotic Artist

“With cultures constantly changing and growing, the medium of erotic art is no longer restricted to just the conventional methods of delivery, canvas and paint, sculpture in clay etc… although these mediums are still used, there are many more available to the modern erotic artist.  The age of technology offers many different ways to approach an artist’s actual work.  With things like graphic design and an almost infinite platform for photographers the doors have been opened to create like never before!  Not to say that the traditional formats are stagnating by any stretch of the imagination, but with the new technology that is out there the opportunity that the artist has for different textures and vibrant color combinations is very exciting!  At SexuwallArt.com, we consider our pieces to be tastefully and elegantly designed by today’s cultural standards.  Our works are both beautiful and inspiring, with a touch of class that really challenges the mind.  We hope you have enjoyed reading the theories and history in this piece. At Sexuwall Art our goal is to provide the art lover with inspirational material, whether it is on the wall or in the imagination of the viewer.”So from all of us at Sexuwall Art  enjoy art, enjoy life and enjoy love!”        

Erotic Art & Wall Art Ideas