Art: Erotic Imagery

Introduction Welcome to Let it Gogh Gallery! We are located at 1337 Warhol Way, San Diego, CA. In the heart of downtown. Let it Gogh Gallery was created in 2017, and is run by Lauren Mason, who always enjoys pushing the limits. Let it Gogh Gallery prizes itself in its unique blend of art from many well known artists around the world. We strive to show a divers and eclectic blend of material from many fields of visual art, though or focus is mostly on painted work.

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

Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) The Origin of the World,  Oil on canvas,  H. 46; W. 55 cm “Fine art is knowledge made visible.” Gustave Courbet Gustave Courbet was a realism painter born on June 10, 1819, in France. He started taking painting lessons at the age of fourteen. Eventually, he relocated to Paris which allowed him to practice his art by copying many of the iconic paintings displayed in the Louvre. His professional breakthrough came in 1848, when ten of his paintings were accepted into a Paris salon. Courbet’s paintings are known for depicting realistic scenes from every day life. Realism rejected many of the art genres that came before it to instead focus on the every day, real situations rather than romanticized fantasy or imagery. Capturing the truth in a piece of art was the goal. I chose this piece of art because it is the most blatantly erotic piece that I came across. I will have to admit initial shock that something so blatantly sexual was done

La Douceur, Pablo Picasso,  Oil on canvas, 1903, 27 5/8 x 21 7/8 in "Art is a lie that makes us realize truth." -Picasso Pablo Picasso was born In Spain in 1881. One of the most well-known artists in the modern world, he is well known as the creator of the cubism movement.  ( http://www.biography.com/people/pablo-picasso-9440021 ) I had to include this painting because there is controversy behind it. Picasso was well known for his erotic exploits, and in his youth quite often painted images of illicit situations. While erotic, this print is subtler. Picasso himself denied creating this painting, shrugging it off as a bad practical joke. Studies show this to be untrue. It reminds me of an impressionist painting, with the distorted figures and an emotional sense rather than a realistic one.

Danaë, Gustav Klimt, 1907, Oil on canvas, 77 x 83 cm " All art is erotic." -Gustav Klimpt Gustav Klimt was born on July 4 th , 1862. Of the Art Nuevo genre, he has produced one of the largest collections of erotic art this century.  His art melds impressionist techniques with e thereal atmospheres.  ( http://www.theartstory.org/artist-klimt-gustav.htm ) This painting shows the ornamental style and elegant form of the art nouveau period.  This genre might have been short lived, but the muted and still somehow vibrant colors and the twisted not quite realistic form are really lovely. I selected this image because, quite honestly, she just drew me in. There were so many erotic works that I could have chosen from Klimt, but this one was hands down my favorite. She looks beautiful, and captivating. 

Katsushika Hokusai, woodcut and paper, 1814. 7.4 in × 10.5 in Hakusai was born in October or November of 1760 in Japan. Born to a artisan family, his entry into the art world was to be expected. He was known by over thirty different names in is lifetime, and much as his persona changed so his the style of his art.   ( http://www.katsushikahokusai.org/biography.html ) Traditional Japanese art is a varied and lovely thing. From pottery to silk screens, every piece of it has a watery almost serene look to me. This image is Sumi-e, or an ‘ink picture’ it combines ink and calligraphy to make a rather unique and stunning composition. I chose this image because it toys with a lot of themes from Japanese art, with a subject matter that is disturbing and shocking. I don’t know why it surprised me to find a famous piece of art depicting an octopus pleasuring a woman, but it did. Even if the shock teeters on disgust, art should make you feel and this piece did.

La maja desnuda ,  oil on can vas by Francisco Goya,  1797–1800 Francisco De Goya was a Spanish artist born on March 30, 1746. He became an apprentice of art when he was fourteen years old. An established portrait painter, among other accomplishments such as church frescos, the style of his art spanned several different genres.  ( http://www.franciscodegoya.net/biography.html ) This is a painting from the romanticism period of art. Her exaggerated beauty makes her unnervingly unrealistic. I chose this painting because I found it fascinating that he first painted this, and then painted a nearly identical image of her with her clothing on. This is one of the first Western paintings to show a woman’s pubic hair without any negative symbolism behind it (such as prostitution). ( http://totallyhistory.com/la-maja-desnuda/ )

Auguste Rodin (1840 -1917) THE KISS Circa 1882 Marble H. 181.5 cm ; W. 112.5 cm ; D. 117 cm (   http://www.rodinmuseum.org/collections/collectiontheme/6.html  ) I wanted to show a bit of sculpture as well as oil paintings. Rodin was known for creating less polished sculpture that better seemed to catch movement. The less polished finish was supposed to show motion.

Turin Erotic Papyrus Papyrus scroll painting, approx. 1150 BC. Artist Unknown. There is nothing new to the concept of erotic art. I included this image because of it's age. Here is a reproduction of part of the scroll.  I just wanted to show that eroticism is as old as humanity. I hope that we can continue to create such provoking works of art for eternity. 

Photography, from the series Chthonic, by Garth Knight, 2014.  Garth Knight was born in 1972 in Hobart, Australia.  He started working as a photographer in 1994, and received a degree in photography in 1999. He has shown his work in several exhibits, though his first international exhibit took place in Paris in 2008. (  https://www.facebook.com/pg/Garth-Knight-Artist-65863491676/about/   ) The caption beneath this beautiful piece of art reads: When Asleep, I dreamt I was a moth And waking became a moth dreaming That I was a human My dreams are an act of creation Creation is the result Of a dream My thoughts create this world And arm in arm This world creates me We dance, we flutter, we fly And like a mother I plunge into the flame Immolate myself with my own desire. ( http://www.garthknight.com/portfolios/2014chthonic/pages/04.html ) I chose this image because I wanted to include something modern and real. I love this image, and can&#

Conclusion The process of organizing an exhibit isn’t nearly as easy as I assumed it would be. Even now, I don’t think that my exhibit would prove workable in the real world. It was a struggle to decide what art to display, the theme of a show. I completed three rounds of research on three different topics before finally settling on the topic I found the most interesting. The first theme that I tried was art related to war, the second nature. I ended up bored with both of them before I’d even finished the blog.  Finally, at eight P.M. the night that the final was through, I thought ‘the hell with this, I’m doing something fun that I will enjoy writing about and researching.’  And so I did. The hardest part of organizing the a ‘show’ featuring different artists, is to try and make it cohesive. There were a thousand paintings, sculptures and carvings I could have chosen from. Many of them didn’t have identified artists, though, so it made it somewhat easier to narrow things do