Portal:Erotica and pornography

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Welcome to the Erotica and pornography Portal

Before the Deluge by Cornelis van Haarlem, 1615

Introduction

Erotic *Kama* statues at the Khajuraho Temple, India

P:XXX

Erotica is art, literature or photography that deals substantively with subject matter that is erotic, sexually stimulating or sexually arousing. Some critics regard pornography as a type of erotica, but many consider it to be different. Erotic art may use any artistic form to depict erotic content, including painting, sculpture, drama, film or music. Erotic literature and erotic photography have become genres in their own right. Erotica also exists in a number of subgenres including gay, lesbian, women's, monster, tentacle erotica and bondage erotica.

The term erotica is derived from the feminine form of the ancient Greek adjective: ἐρωτικός (erōtikós), from ἔρως (érōs)—words used to indicate lust, and sexual love. (Full article...)

Pornography (colloquially known as porn or porno) is sexual subject material such as a picture, video, text, or audio that is intended for sexual arousal. Made for consumption by adults, pornographic depictions have evolved from cave paintings, some forty millennia ago, to modern virtual reality presentations. A general distinction of adults-only sexual content is made-classifying it as pornography or erotica.

The oldest artifacts considered pornographic were discovered in Germany in 2008 and are dated to be at least 35,000 years old. Human enchantment with sexual imagery representations has been a constant throughout history. However, the reception of such imagery varied according to the historical, cultural, and national contexts. The Indian Sanskrit text Kama Sutra (3rd century CE) contained prose, poetry, and illustrations regarding sexual behavior, and the book was celebrated; while the British English text Fanny Hill (1748), considered "the first original English prose pornography," has been one of the most prosecuted and banned books. In the late 19th century, a film by Thomas Edison that depicted a kiss was denounced as obscene in the United States, whereas Eugène Pirou's 1896 film Bedtime for the Bride was received very favorably in France. Starting from the mid-twentieth century on, societal attitudes towards sexuality became lenient in the Western world where legal definitions of obscenity were made limited. In 1969, Blue Movie by Andy Warhol became the first film to depict unsimulated sex that received a wide theatrical release in the United States. This was followed by the "Golden Age of Porn" (1969–1984). The introduction of home video and the World Wide Web in the late 20th century led to global growth in the pornography business. Beginning in the 21st century, greater access to the Internet and affordable smartphones made pornography more mainstream. (Full article...)

Refresh with new selections below (purge)

Selected article

A wide variety of hentai merchandise is commonly sold in specialized stores in Japan.

Hentai (Japanese: ヘンタイ) is a style of Japanese pornographic anime and manga. In addition to anime and manga, hentai works exist in a variety of media, including artwork and video games (commonly known as eroge).

The development of hentai has been influenced by Japanese cultural and historical attitudes toward sexuality. Hentai works, which are often self-published, form a significant portion of the market for doujin works, including doujinshi. Numerous subgenres exist depicting a variety of sexual acts and relationships, as well as novel fetishes. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

Selected work of erotic literature

One of earliest editions, 1749 (MDCCXLIX)

Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure—popularly known as Fanny Hill—is an erotic novel by the English novelist John Cleland first published in London in 1748. Written while the author was in debtors' prison in London, it is considered "the first original English prose pornography, and the first pornography to use the form of the novel". It is one of the most prosecuted and banned books in history.

The book exemplifies the use of euphemism. The text has no swearing or explicit scientific terms for body parts, but uses many literary devices to describe genitalia. For example, the vagina is sometimes referred to as "the nethermouth", which is also an example of psychological displacement.

A critical edition by Peter Sabor includes a bibliography and explanatory notes. The collection Launching "Fanny Hill" contains several essays on the historical, social and economic themes underlying the novel. (Full article...)

List of selected works
The Autobiography of a Flea Fifty Shades of Grey Story of the Eye Story of O Jin Ping Mei Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle Lady Chatterley's Lover The Songs of Bilitis The 120 Days of Sodom Kama Sutra Lolita Tropic of Cancer (novel) Josephine Mutzenbacher Tijuana bible Emmanuelle (novel) Sex (book)

Slideshow of selected contemporary images

Image 1Erotic actress and public health advocate Sharon Mitchell.
Image 2Karen McDougal
Image 3Swedish/Tanzanian Playmate of the Year Ida Ljungqvist
Image 4The COLT Studio Group, San Francisco
Image 5Cindy Margolis

Image 5Cindy Margolis
Image 6Daisy Marie posing with a fan at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2008
Image 7Raylene
Image 8Pornographic DVDs, Japan, "Kawaii" section
Image 9Lisa Ann
Image 10Hentai style of art, originally from Japan
Image 11Pornographic actor and director Miles Long (submitted by self)
Image 12Audrey Hollander - American porn star
Image 13Rocco Siffredi
Image 14Silvia Saint, wearing a Bomis tee-shirt (a site previously run by Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia).
Image 15Rebeca Linares at AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2009
Image 16Louise Glover
Image 17Example of Erotic photography
Image 18Playmate of the Year and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals spokesperson Pamela Anderson, signing DVDs at the USS Halsey
Image 19Playmate of the_Year Corinna Harney
Image 20Playmate of the Year Claire Sinclair
Image 21Figure 12 in Zillmann, Dolf: "Effects of Prolonged Consumption of Pornography", included in the Report of the Surgeon General's Workshop on Pornography and Public Health, United States Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General, August 4, 1986
Image 22Valentina Nappi at the AVN Awards Show, Las Vegas, Nevada on 21 January 2017
Image 23Pornographic film set. Pictured from left to right: Cali Chase, Mikey Butders, and a photographer identified as "Nicole."
Image 24A Fluffer hands gay porn performers Jake Starr (seated) and Erik Grant (lying) items needed for a scene in the 2008 Lucas Entertainment production Pounding the Pavement.
Image 25Michele_Merkin - Glamour photography
Image 26Dana DeArmond
Image 27Jenna Jameson
Image 28American pornographic actor Ron Jeremy. One of top Porn Stars of All Time.
Image 29Sculpture of Marilyn Monroe in Haugesund harbour, Norway
Image 30Jessie Andrews
Image 31Hugh Hefner with Karissa Shannon, Dasha Astafieva, and Kristina Shannon
Image 32Carmen Luvana, Adult Entertainment Expo 2008
Image 33Joanna Jet - transsexual pornographic actress and director
Image 34Transsexual pornographic actress Erica Andrews
Image 35Shy Love at AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2012
Image 36Lupe Fuentes
Image 37Katsuni - French pornographic actress.
Image 38Sean Michaels - pornographic actor.
Image 39Hentai Manga, Japan
Image 40Pierre Woodman filming in Australia
Image 41Bondage pornography, showing classic "wrist to ankle" rope hogtie. Other bondage methods depicted are breast bondage, elbow bondage, head to ankle tie, knees tied, and a crotch rope. Model is also wearing a muzzle gag.
Image 42
Image 43Penthouse Pet Dani Daniels, wearing Penthouse key necklace
Image 44Playmate of the Year Sara Jean Underwood
Image 45Pornographic actress and cosplayer Tanya Tate as She-Ra
Image 46Michael Lucas, Nonie, Rafael Alencar, David Shankbone, and Ernesta Alamirano in Fire Island Pines
Image 47Dean Flynn and Chi Chi LaRue
Image 48Tila Tequila
Image 49Playboy Playmate Alison Waite
Image 50Xaviera Hollander, author and former Sex worker

Slideshow of selected historical images

Image 1Illustration from Juliette by the Marquis de Sade.
Image 2Traditional pederastic courtship scene on an Athenian black-figure amphora from the 5th century B.C.
Image 3Nineteenth century nude photograph.
Image 4Cunnilingus portrayed at Pompeii - Source: John R. Clarke: Ars Erotica. Darmstadt: Primus 2009
Image 5Kama Sutra illustration (19th century?)
Image 6Erotic art, India, 18th century
Image 7Miniature from 15th century Persian book
Image 8Hadrian engaging in anal sex with Antinous in Egypt, portrayed by Édouard-Henri Avril.
Image 9Hokusai, Untitled (Plate No. 4) From the series Picture Book Patterns of Couples (Ehon tsui no hinagata), c. 1812
Image 10A Mercury Priapus figure from Pompeii, ancient Rome
Image 11Roman oil lamp portraying intercourse
Image 12
Image 13Erotic engraving supposedly after Agostino Carracci (1557–1602)
Image 14Hokusai, Untamed Lion, From the series Picture Book Patterns of Couples (Ehon tsui no hinagata), c. 1812
Image 15Kama Sutra illustration (19th century?)
Image 16Nights of Horror, panel by Joe Shuster (public domain)
Image 17Silenus and maenad. Tondo of an Attic red-figure kylix, ca. 480 BC. From Vulci, ancient Greece
Image 18Kama Sutra illustration (19th century?)
Image 19The Venus of Willendorf prehistoric sculpture
Image 20Erotic art, 18th century India
Image 21Classical Greek Bas Relief showing "Cowgirl" position
Image 22Two Lovers, by Reza Abbasi.
Image 23Indian Princess, by Richard Borrmeister [de] (1888?)
Image 24Johann Nepomuk Geiger, watercolor, 1840
Image 25The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife, an erotic woodcut made circa 1820 by Hokusai.
Image 26Erotic detail from the Vishwanath temple at the Khajuraho Group of Monuments
Image 27Shunga, Japan (ca 1750)
Image 28Erotic scene. Rim of an Attic red-figure kylix, c. 510 BC., ancient Greece
Image 29Lakshmana Temple, Khajuraho, India, taken by User:Ggia
Image 30Katsushika Hokusai, "The Adonis Plant (Fukujusô)" Woodblock, ca. 1815, Japan Shunga
Image 31Illustration from La Grande Danse macabre des vifs, Martin van Maële (1905)

Did you know (auto-generated) - load new batch

... that later pressings of the soundtrack of the soft porn film The Stud replaced Manfred Mann's Earth Band's "Davy's on the Road Again" after a journalist blabbed its presence to the band's keyboardist?
... that Jan Kochanowski's Fraszki is a 16th-century collection of almost 300 poems, ranging from anecdotes and epitaphs to obscenities and erotica?
... that the nature documentary The Green Planet, narrated by David Attenborough, has been compared to both horror films and a "plant porno"?
... that a pornographic screenplay about Jesus led to papal and royal condemnations, a firebombing, the writer's ban from the UK, and thousands of letters per week demanding the ban of a non-existent gay Jesus film?
... that zombie pornography emerged in the 1980s during a rise in the Italian sexploitation film industry?
... that the 1980s were the "age of hole-discovery" in yaoi erotica?
... that Nickelodeon storyboard artists created a book with hundreds of pornographic drawings of SpongeBob SquarePants characters?
... that before being restored as a Broadway theater, the Ritz Theatre was used as a television studio, pornographic theater, vaudeville house, children's theater, and poster warehouse?