Art: Erotic Imagery

Let it Gogh Gallery Invites you to join us for a night of ocular stimulation. Celebrate our sensual tour of erotic art with a brand-new show, “unbound.” R.S.V.P through our Curator: Lauren Mason [(555) 867-5309] | [GoghGallery@art.net ] 1337 Warhol Way, San Diego, CA. In the heart of downtown. “Unbound” is an exploration of unexpected erotic art from mostly well known artists. Pieces were selected and put together with careful consideration, with the intent of spanning time and genres. We looked for erotic images that were attached to familiar names, images that most wouldn’t expect to have seen from them.  This exhibit is meant to show examples of erotic art from several different style perspectives, so that each image is unique and powerful on it’s own. Featuring: Rembrandt Rodin Goya Hokusai Picasso

Rembrandt van Rijn,  The Monk in the Cornfield,  1646, Etching with drypoint on ivory laid paper 47 x 66 mm (image/plate);51 x 69 mm (sheet) Practice what you know, and it will help to make clear what now you do not know. -Rembrant Rembrant Harmensz Van Rijn was born on July 15, 1606. He started to study art at the age of fourteen, after leaving his formal education behind.  He Mastered everything that  he had been taught in just six months time, and so he returned home he found quick success. Rembrandt was highly enough regarded that at the age of twenty two years old, he started taking in students of his own.  ( http://www.rembrandtpainting.net/rembrandt_life_and_work.htm ) Rembrandt developed a name for himself as one of the best etchers in history. His etchings were far more widely circulated during his lifetime than even his paintings.   Despite this prints tiny size, the imagery is bold and captivating. Rembrants black and white etchings still held an impressive rang

Egon Schiele , 1913, Gouache, watercolor, and graphite on paper, 18 3/4 x 12 1/2 in. (47.6 x 31.8 cm) “I must see new things and investigate them. I want to taste dark water and see crackling trees and wild winds.” –Egon Schiele Egon Schiele was an expressionist painter born on June 12, 1890 in Austria. Artist Gustav Klint was Schiel’s friend and mentor, Though Shiele’s art was vastly different than Klint’s Nuevo style. Shiele’s produced over three thousand prints during the span of his career. His art contributed a good deal to the development of the expressionist art movement. Shiele’s drawing show a graphic style, bold colors, and embraces figure distortion. ( http://www.theartstory.org/artist-schiele-egon.htm ) Expressionist artwork is meant to convey and express emotions rather than realism. Often figures and items are distorted rather than realistic. Shiele’s image of two women embracing distorts their bodies rather than aiming for a more realistic look, but sti

Leda and the Swan,  Antonio Allegri da Correggio,  oil on canvas, 1531 - 1532,  191 x 152 cm Antonio Alergri Da Correggio was born in Correggio, somewhere around 1489. His exact birth date is unknown.  Very little is known about his life or training. (  http://www.antoniodacorreggio.org/biography.html  ) Mannerism style paintings are greatly influenced by ‘ideals’. This style of painting often exaggerates an ideal, leaving images that are sophisticated but not quite realistic. I chose to include this image in my show because I love the almost too perfect elegance and beauty of the composition, and wanted to include an older piece of art that still tied together the concept of eroticism in art.  I loved looking at this piece, the expressions of the women and the taboo nature of it made for a fascinating study.

Great American Nude No. 99,  Tom Wesselmmann, 1968, oil on canvas, 206 x 152 cm “I find sometimes I get so excited working, especially when starting new ideas; I get so excited that I get uncomfortable. It almost feels dangerous, like I’m flirting with something dangerous." -Tom Wesselmann T om Wesselmann was born on February 23, 1931 in Cincinnati, OH. He started his career as a cartoonist for a men’s magazine, so his transition into the bright and vibrant pop art movement was a natural progression. He is considered one of the most blatantly erotic pop artists of note. ( http://www.theartstory.org/artist-wesselmann-tom.htm ) Pop turns the normal into a brightly colored and exaggerated cartoon. Rather than taking itself seriously, it is vivid and loud.  Becoming popular in the 1950’s and 60’s, pop are took normal main stream objects and turned them into an art work. Wesselmann took pop art to a whole new level with his series of nudes. Emphasizing certain p

Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2), Marcel Duchamp, 1912, Oil on canvas, 57 7/8 x 35 1/8 inches (147 x 89.2 cm)  " I have forced myself to contradict myself in order to avoid conforming to my own tastes." -Marcel Duchamp Marcel Duchamp was a French cubism artist born on July 28 th 1887.  He is known as a leader of the American Dada movement.  His work is well known to contain hidden innuendo and sexual humor.  ( http://www.theartstory.org/artist-duchamp-marcel.htm) Cubism is a genre that likes to pick apart objects and attempt to display them from several viewpoints at once. It is an attempt to make an object three dimensional instead of one dimensional, all while staying on a flat page. I included this image in my show because I thought it was important to include something from this genre of work. Cubism is less blatant than many of the other images I chose to show. I had to stare long and hard at this painting to try and make out what it was, and I’m