Erotic Art
Analysis
This is just a small selection of the numerous paintings that have been found in Pompeii during its excavations. A great amount of these erotic images were found in the baths or the brothel. The paintings were often of prostitutes who were both men and women, in various positions that included oral sex and homosexual sex along with scenes that showed multiple sexual partners. It has been thought that these erotic paintings are an advertisement for clients who are looking for sex. One of these paintings shows the female in a ‘riding’ position over the male; this is a popular position in the erotic paintings found in Pompeii[1].
Developed Conclusions
These paintings are unique to understanding Roman social life because these types of paintings have only been found in the excavations of Pompeii, therefore these are the only paintings that can give us insight the attitude that Romans had to sex. Erotic art was found all over Pompeii, including in public buildings, private houses and on street facades[2]. Early excavators were shocked when these paintings were uncovered and they saw the paintings as pornographic. These paintings were put on display in the 19th century, however when King Francis I of Naples visited the exhibition with his wife and daughter, they were so embarrassed by the images that the paintings were ordered to be locked away in a secret cabinet where only “people of mature age and respected morals” were allowed access to them[3]. Some of the paintings and images found have been thought to not have a sexual theme, images of phalluses were believed by the Roman’s to be a symbol of prosperity, and therefore they were commonly found in many Roman homes[4]. The changing rooms of the baths had a vast number of these erotic scenes covering the walls, displayed in numbered boxes. The function of these scenes has been a debate over the years; it is unclear whether they were advertisements for Pompeii’s brothel, or if they were a sex manual, or if they were just for the entertainment of the Roman people entering the baths[5]. Many of the paintings found how depicted group sex, oral sex, and also homosexual sex; this indicates that the Romans had a very liberal attitude towards sex. They viewed it as an act of pleasure. This contrasts greatly with the modern society attitude towards sex. Since the rise of Christianity, the idea of ‘sin’ has come to be associated with sex, and modern society has grown to have a very negative view of sex, especially homosexual sex. In fact, when the earliest excavators uncovered these erotic scenes many of these images were hidden away without being documented[6], this limits the knowledge that we could discover about the Roman’s attitude to sex. The information that has been discovered from these paintings is significant because they have been preserved under the debris from the 79AD eruption; this means that they have been protected from what is perceived to be socially acceptable
[1] http://www.historyandcivilization.com/Picture-Gallery---The-Frescoes-of-Pompeii---Herculaneum.html
[2] The Complete Pompeii – Joanne Berry
[3]http://realhistoryww.com/world_history/ancient/Misc/Common/paestum/Pompeii.htm
[4] The Complete Pompeii – Joanne Berry
[5] The Complete Pompeii – Joanne Berry
[6]http://realhistoryww.com/world_history/ancient/Misc/Common/paestum/Pompeii.htm
This is just a small selection of the numerous paintings that have been found in Pompeii during its excavations. A great amount of these erotic images were found in the baths or the brothel. The paintings were often of prostitutes who were both men and women, in various positions that included oral sex and homosexual sex along with scenes that showed multiple sexual partners. It has been thought that these erotic paintings are an advertisement for clients who are looking for sex. One of these paintings shows the female in a ‘riding’ position over the male; this is a popular position in the erotic paintings found in Pompeii[1].
Developed Conclusions
These paintings are unique to understanding Roman social life because these types of paintings have only been found in the excavations of Pompeii, therefore these are the only paintings that can give us insight the attitude that Romans had to sex. Erotic art was found all over Pompeii, including in public buildings, private houses and on street facades[2]. Early excavators were shocked when these paintings were uncovered and they saw the paintings as pornographic. These paintings were put on display in the 19th century, however when King Francis I of Naples visited the exhibition with his wife and daughter, they were so embarrassed by the images that the paintings were ordered to be locked away in a secret cabinet where only “people of mature age and respected morals” were allowed access to them[3]. Some of the paintings and images found have been thought to not have a sexual theme, images of phalluses were believed by the Roman’s to be a symbol of prosperity, and therefore they were commonly found in many Roman homes[4]. The changing rooms of the baths had a vast number of these erotic scenes covering the walls, displayed in numbered boxes. The function of these scenes has been a debate over the years; it is unclear whether they were advertisements for Pompeii’s brothel, or if they were a sex manual, or if they were just for the entertainment of the Roman people entering the baths[5]. Many of the paintings found how depicted group sex, oral sex, and also homosexual sex; this indicates that the Romans had a very liberal attitude towards sex. They viewed it as an act of pleasure. This contrasts greatly with the modern society attitude towards sex. Since the rise of Christianity, the idea of ‘sin’ has come to be associated with sex, and modern society has grown to have a very negative view of sex, especially homosexual sex. In fact, when the earliest excavators uncovered these erotic scenes many of these images were hidden away without being documented[6], this limits the knowledge that we could discover about the Roman’s attitude to sex. The information that has been discovered from these paintings is significant because they have been preserved under the debris from the 79AD eruption; this means that they have been protected from what is perceived to be socially acceptable
[1] http://www.historyandcivilization.com/Picture-Gallery---The-Frescoes-of-Pompeii---Herculaneum.html
[2] The Complete Pompeii – Joanne Berry
[3]http://realhistoryww.com/world_history/ancient/Misc/Common/paestum/Pompeii.htm
[4] The Complete Pompeii – Joanne Berry
[5] The Complete Pompeii – Joanne Berry
[6]http://realhistoryww.com/world_history/ancient/Misc/Common/paestum/Pompeii.htm