Portal:Erotica and pornography

Welcome to the Erotica and pornography Portal

Before the Deluge by Cornelis van Haarlem, 1615

Introduction

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 called porn or porno) is sexually suggestive material, such as a picture, video, text, or audio, intended for sexual arousal. Made for consumption by adults, pornographic depictions have evolved from cave paintings, some forty millennia ago, to modern-day 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

Shu in 2024

Lin Li-hui (born 16 April 1976) (Chinese: 林立慧), better known by her stage name Shu Qi (Chinese: 舒淇), is a Hong Kong–Taiwanese actress and model. Widely regarded as one of the most successful Taiwanese actresses of all time, Shu has received three Hong Kong Film Awards and two Golden Horse Awards among many other awards.

She has collaborated with director Hou Hsiao-hsien on three films: Millennium Mambo (2001), Three Times (2005), and The Assassin (2015). Shu has also played leading roles in both art-house films and box-office hits, including If You Are the One (2008) by Feng Xiaogang, Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (2013) by Stephen Chow, Gone with the Bullets (2014) by Jiang Wen, and Mojin: The Lost Legend (2015) by Wuershan.

Shu ranked 18th on Forbes China Celebrity 100 list in 2013, 23rd in 2014, 32nd in 2015, 48th in 2017, and 90th in 2019. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

Selected work of erotic literature

Cover of the 1962 edition

Story of O (French: Histoire d'O, IPA: [istwaʁ do]) is an erotic novel written by French author Anne Desclos under the pen name Pauline Réage, with the original French text published in 1954 by Jean-Jacques Pauvert.

Desclos did not reveal herself as the author until 1994, 40 years after the initial publication. Desclos stated she wrote the novel as a series of love letters to her lover Jean Paulhan, who had admired the work of the Marquis de Sade. The novel shares with the latter themes such as love, dominance, and submission. (Full article...)

List of selected works
The Autobiography of a Flea Fifty Shades of Grey Story of the Eye Fanny Hill 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 1Katsuni - French pornographic actress.
Image 2The COLT Studio Group, San Francisco
Image 3Dean Flynn and Chi Chi LaRue
Image 4Sculpture of Marilyn Monroe in Haugesund harbour, Norway
Image 5Karen McDougal
Image 6Carmen Luvana, Adult Entertainment Expo 2008
Image 7Penthouse Pet Dani Daniels, wearing Penthouse key necklace
Image 8Playmate of the Year Sara Jean Underwood
Image 9Rebeca Linares at AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2009
Image 10Swedish/Tanzanian Playmate of the Year Ida Ljungqvist
Image 11Figure 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 12Michael Lucas, Nonie, Rafael Alencar, David Shankbone, and Ernesta Alamirano in Fire Island Pines
Image 13Cindy Margolis

Image 13Cindy Margolis
Image 14Playmate of the Year and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals spokesperson Pamela Anderson, signing DVDs at the USS Halsey
Image 15Valentina Nappi at the AVN Awards Show, Las Vegas, Nevada on 21 January 2017
Image 16
Image 17Joanna Jet - transsexual pornographic actress and director
Image 18A 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 19Dana DeArmond
Image 20Lupe Fuentes
Image 21Louise Glover
Image 22Playboy Playmate Alison Waite
Image 23Audrey Hollander - American porn star
Image 24Pornographic DVDs, Japan, "Kawaii" section
Image 25Hentai Manga, Japan
Image 26Jenna Jameson
Image 27Lisa Ann
Image 28Bondage 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 29Raylene
Image 30Xaviera Hollander, author and former Sex worker
Image 31Pornographic film set. Pictured from left to right: Cali Chase, Mikey Butders, and a photographer identified as "Nicole."
Image 32Example of Erotic photography
Image 33Hugh Hefner with Karissa Shannon, Dasha Astafieva, and Kristina Shannon
Image 34Tila Tequila
Image 35Playmate of the_Year Corinna Harney
Image 36Sean Michaels - pornographic actor.
Image 37Transsexual pornographic actress Erica Andrews
Image 38Hentai style of art, originally from Japan
Image 39Michele_Merkin - Glamour photography
Image 40Rocco Siffredi
Image 41Shy Love at AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2012
Image 42Silvia Saint, wearing a Bomis tee-shirt (a site previously run by Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia).
Image 43Pornographic actress and cosplayer Tanya Tate as She-Ra
Image 44Pornographic actor and director Miles Long (submitted by self)
Image 45American pornographic actor Ron Jeremy. One of top Porn Stars of All Time.
Image 46Jessie Andrews
Image 47Pierre Woodman filming in Australia
Image 48Erotic actress and public health advocate Sharon Mitchell.
Image 49Playmate of the Year Claire Sinclair
Image 50Daisy Marie posing with a fan at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2008

Slideshow of selected historical images

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

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

... that Lewes Road in Brighton has a gyratory named after a pornographic cinema?
... that Koh Masaki was one of the first gay pornographic film actors in Japan to openly appear in adult films without obscuring his identity?
... 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 1980s were the "age of hole-discovery" in yaoi erotica?
... that a long-legged lovebird lived in humanity's cradle?
... that the pastor John Littlejohn went from selling pornographic literature to sailors as a youth to protecting the Declaration of Independence?
... that Money Shot: The Pornhub Story was described by multiple reviewers as unsalacious?
... that Philipp Tanzer has been an army medic, artist, firefighter, hairdresser, massage therapist, festival organiser, political candidate and gay porn star?