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 "Erotica describes the portrayal of human sensuality and sexuality with high-art aspirations, differentiating such work from commercial pornography (which shows explicit sexual acts). Erotica are works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or arousing descriptions." [1]
Eroticism artistically captures the beauty, shape and form of the human body and can offer a deeper portrayal of our human emotions, lust and desire. Erotic Literature may be written to sexually arouse the reader, to stimulate one's imagination and creativity, to provide advice on sexual techniques, offer insight into the sensual world of man and woman or to promote the authors ideas about sexuality.
Ever since humans began to write and draw, human sexuality and fertility have been expressed in art forms. For example the Kama Sutra written around the seventh century B.C. and Sappho, the Greek poet philosopher from the Isle of Lesbos (630 B.C.).
Pornographic laws (regarding looking at objects and images depicting sex acts) did not exist until the Victorian era (1837 - 1901).
 "The rediscovery of the lost cities, Pompeii and Herculaneum, beginning in 1748 produced a major cultural shock for the Victorians. Excavations of the two cities uncovered a multitude of highly eroticized art. This art in the varying forms of frescoes, mosaics statues, symbols, and inscriptions was regarded by the excavators as pornographic. Even some of the recovered household items had a sexual theme. The Victorian culture, founded largely on studies of the classics, was faced with a cultural dilemma. The ubiquity of such imagery and items indicated that the sexual customs of ancient Roman culture was much more liberal than their present-day prudery. .. Initially this clash of cultures resulted in the public disappearance of the immoral art. When King Francis I of Naples visited the Pompeii exhibition in 1819 at the National Museum with his family, he was so embarrassed by the erotic artwork he had it locked away in a secret room accessible only to 'people of mature age and respected morals'." [2]
Despite the suppression of erotic art by certain cultures, depictions of sexual imagery and literature are common through out human history and remain so. Some art forms from the past continue strongly today, such as painting, poetry, story telling, sculpture, theatre / performance and music. Technology has significantly influenced erotic art with the advent of film and digital video, DVD's and the Internet.
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Editor: Karene Jade Howie
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