Sex and eroticism have always been themes that have marked art, being a creative force that has developed over many centuries. To talk about sensuality in artworks is to talk about what is human, intimate, about ourselves, even if we sometimes don't know how to name it.
Art allows us to express ourselves in any way we want, because it does not censor what we feel, but transforms it.
The body as a canvas
It is no surprise that the body has been a central theme in art. But what is interesting is how it has been interpreted over time. In ancient times, nudes celebrated beauty, divinity, and perfection. For example, the well-known paintings “David” by Michelangelo and “The Birth of Venus” by Botticelli are not just naked bodies, they are symbols of balance and of what was sublime at that time.
But over the centuries, the body lost its idealization and became freer, closer, and more real. And with that came insinuations, glances, and suggestive gestures. Eroticism entered the scene.
From the Renaissence to desire
During the Renaissance, artists found in the nude a form of anatomical study and symbolic expression. Artworks such as Goya's “The Naked Maja” opened the door to something more direct, provocative, and human.
Later, artists such as Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt transformed the body into an emotional stage.
It wasn't just about showing skin, but telling a story through desire, discomfort, and tension. Klimt, for example, with his golden bodies and symbol-laden compositions, turned sensuality into something beautiful and mysterious. Meanwhile, Schiele was raw, honest, and almost violent in his expression of eroticism. His strokes were open questions, not answers.
Erotic art: a movement that breathes freedom
At the end of the 19th century and into the 20th century, artistic expressions centered on eroticism flourished. From Japanese prints such as shunga, to the photographic works of Helmut Newton, to the sexual sculptures of contemporary artists, eroticism became a form of protest, liberation, and play.
Erotic art is not just for looking at: it is for questioning what we have been taught about desire, the body, and what is right.
Today, artworks and paintings continue to explore desire through multiple languages. From digital illustrations to sculptures and sensory installations, bodies continue to speak. But what are they talking about? They speak of freedom, diversity, and pleasure. And they remind us that eroticism is not only explicit, it is also subtle, suggestive, and hidden between the lines.
Don't be afraid of erotic art. A well-chosen illustration can give your space a provocative, sophisticated, and honest air. We know that art speaks about you, and it can also speak about your desire. And that is also beauty.
At Jacaranda, we believe that art does not judge, art reveals. And eroticism, like art, is part of who we are.
