1000 Erotic Works of Genius. Victoria CharlesЧитать онлайн книгу.
Greek king. Her abduction by Paris started the Trojan War. While Aphrodite is criticised by Homer for her role in starting the conflict, she is celebrated here as the purveyor of true love.
61. Anonymous, Artemis of Ephesus, 2nd century B. C. E.
62. Anonymous, Aphrodite, known as Venus of Arles, end of the 1st century B. C. E. Marble, h: 194 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris (France).
63. Anonymous, Cameo with Leda and the Swan. 2.5 × 1.7 cm. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples (Italy).
64. Anonymous, Hercules and Omphale, 1st century B. C. E. Carnelian. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna (Austria).
65. Anonymous, Mirror Cover Showing a Couple, 1st century C. E. Bronze. Antiquarium, Rome (Italy).
66. Anonymous, Yakshi Swaying (detail of a portal), 1st century B. C. E. Sculpted stone. Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh (India).
67. Anonymous, Grimani Altar, last quarter of the 1st century B. C. E. Museo Archeologico Nazional, Venice (Italy).
68. Anonymous, Skyphos with an Erotic Group (detail), c. 1st century C. E.
69. Anonymous, Priapus, God of Fertility, 1st century C. E. Naples (Italy).
70. Anonymous, Tripod with Ithyphallic Young Pans, c. 1st century C. E. Bronze from Pompeii. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples (Italy).
71. Anonymous, Couple, known as Venus Pendula, 1st century C. E. House of the Vettii, Pompeii (Italy).
72. Anonymous, One of three small erotic pictures from a small room adjacent to the kitchen, 1st century C. E. House of the Vettii, Pompeii (Italy).
73. Anonymous, The Standing Man Supports the Woman’s Legs on his Shoulders while she half-lies on the Bed, 1st century C. E. From the House of Punished Love, Pompeii (Italy).
74. Anonymous, Depiction of “Coitus a Tergo”, 1st century C. E. Pompeii (Italy).
75. Anonymous, Mars with his Spear and Plumed Helmet Caressing Venus’ Breast as she Sits on a Throne and a Putto Looks on, 1st century C. E. Fresco. From the House of Punished Love, Pompeii (Italy).
76. Anonymous, Maenad Solicited by a Satyr wearing earrings. Fresco. From the House of L. Caecilius Jucundus in Pompeii, Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples (Italy).
77. Anonymous, Coupling Scene between a Satyr and a Nymph. From the House of the Faun, Pompeii (Italy).
78. Anonymous, Scene of Banquet in Open Air, Pompeii, 1st century C. E. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples (Italy).
79. Anonymous, Mercury with Many Penises, c. 10 °C. E. Pompeii (Italy).
80. Anonymous, Phallic Tintinnabulum, 1st century C. E. Bronze. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples (Italy).
81. Anonymous, Phallic Tintinnabulum. Bronze. Pompeii (Italy).
82. Anonymous, Erotic Scene from the Suburban Baths of Pompeii.
83. Anonymous, Pan with Hermaphroditus, atrium of the House of Dioscuri, Nero’s reign. Wall painting from Pompeii. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples (Italy).
84. Anonymus, Erotic Frieze. Greek Antiquity.
85. Anonymous. Marble low-relief. The Tomb of the Bulls, Tarquinia (Italy).
86. Anonymous, Leda and the Swan, 3rd century C. E. Mosaic. Museum of Nicosia, Nicosia (Cyprus).
87. Anonymous, Erotic Scene. Fresco. Wall painting from Pompeii (Italy).
88. Anonymous, Priapus, 10 °C. E. Fresco. Wall painting from Pompeii (Italy).
89. Anonymous, Faunus, c. 10 °C. E. Pompeii (Italy).
90. Anonymous, Statue of Antinous, Favourite of Emperor Hadrian, c. 130–138 C. E. Marble, h: 199 cm. Archaeological Museum of Delphi, Delphi (Greece).
91. Anonymous, Artemis of Ephesus, 2nd century C. E. Bronze and alabaster. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples (Italy).
92. Anonymous, Phalli, 30 °C. E. Delos (Greece).
The Middle Ages: A Return to Prudery
93. Anonymous, Ariadne and her Cortege, early 6th century C. E. Ivory, 40 × 14 cm. Musée national du Moyen Age, Thermes de Cluny, Paris (France).
On the whole, the rise of Christianity in Europe had a repressive effect on the development of erotic art. Although the early years of Christianity were congruent with Late Antiquity and with the ideals of that time, Christian theology soon began to effect changes in attitudes towards both sexuality and art. In the late fourth and early fifth centuries, Saint Augustine (known as one of the “Four Fathers of the Latin Church”) established some of the basic theological beliefs that were to remain dominant for centuries to come. For Augustine, lust was among the gravest of sins, and had led to the original sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Augustine’s repeated condemnations of lust and his advocacy of chastity created the belief that the body was a vehicle for sin. Sexual representations, and sexuality in general, were thus surrounded with guilt. In fact, among the few specific representations of sexuality in the Middle Ages were symbolic depictions of the sin of lust, personified as a nude figure (usually a woman) with a toad biting at the genitals, and sometimes with snakes biting the breasts.
Medieval images of nude figures were nearly always connected with sin, especially in the case of Adam and Eve. Shown in the Garden, they were most commonly depicted after the Temptation, when they showed shame at their nudity by trying to cover themselves. Among the most famous medieval nudes is the Romanesque lintel sculpture at the Cathedral of Saint-Lazare