Erotica

Fernande (1910-1917) by Jean Agélou

For other uses, see Erotica (disambiguation).

Erotica (from the Greek Eros - "desire") — refers to works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or arousing descriptions. Erotica is a modern word used to describe the portrayal of the human anatomy and sexuality with high-art aspirations, differentiating such work from commercial pornography.

Genres and themes

There are various sub-genres of erotica. As with fiction as a whole, there are erotic stories with a science fiction, fantasy, horror or romance focus. Additionally, erotica can also focus on specific sexual behavior or fetishes such as BDSM, wearing uniforms, cross-dressing, polygamy and sexual promiscuity. Fan fiction featuring characters engaging in male homosexual acts has become known as slash fiction.

Portrayal of Erotica at the library of Congress

The erotica/pornography debate

Die nackte Maja (c. 1800-1803) by Francisco de Goya

The distinction between erotica and pornography (as well as the lesser known genre of sexual entertainment, ribaldry) is difficult to identify as it is, to a degree, highly personal. Essentially, the difference lies in the individual's approach to sexuality and the sex act. Inexperience and a simplistic social model of sexuality tends to produce a prurient and undeveloped approach to sexual pleasure, which revels in the deliberate flouting and perversion of accepted moral principles. A more open view of sexuality tends to set the moral view aside and accepts that sexual gratification is the right of each human being and each has the right to pursue that in their own way without judgmental burdens being placed on them by external sources.

Erotic art tends to spring from this latter, more amoral viewpoint. Proponents for erotic art argue that such work is intended to be artistically interesting and deliberate rather than simply sexually stimulating, and is therefore not pornographic. Opponents see this as a pretentious stand as they believe that erotic art is indeed intended for sexual arousal.

The issue of whether a distinction can be made between erotica and pornography raises multiple complicated questions. These questions include whether aesthetic and erotic feelings are mutually exclusive, how the level of commercialism and tastefulness in an artwork can be objectively measured, and at what point they make the work pornographic.

In general, "erotica" refers to portrayals of sexually arousing material that hold or aspire to artistic, scientific or human merit, whereas "pornography" often connotes the commercial, prurient, morally valueless depiction of sexual acts, with little or no artistic value.

See also

• Adult theater
• Erotic art
• Erotic literature
• Eroticism
• History of erotic depictions
• History of erotic photography
• List of authors of erotic works