Chapter 1. The Passion for Painting
Professor Smith is a respected academic, but he also has another passion - erotic paintings. He began his collection more than twenty years ago when he was visiting Paris on sabbatical from his teaching position at Stanford University. His interest in nudes began before then, with a fascination for Botticelli's Venus and Mars, which he saw in Florence during a trip to Italy as an undergraduate student at Harvard University. "It wasn't the subject matter that drew me to it," Professor Smith explains. "Botticelli captured something extraordinary in those figures; they have a timeless quality."
Over time, he discovered more artists whose works resonated with him. "I've always loved Rubens' color palette and the energy in his compositions. But I think his most powerful paintings are his later ones, like the Three Graces, where the women have so much personality." The painting depicts three women, each posed differently, their bodies entwined or touching. "They're all beautiful, and there's such tenderness in the way they interact with one another."
In addition to art history, Professor Smith teaches courses on sexuality and gender studies. It was natural, then, for him to connect his academic work with his hobby of collecting. He's assembled an extensive library of books on eroticism, including titles by Freud, Deleuze, and Lacan. He says, "These ideas help me understand my own relationship to these paintings."
Chapter 2. A Taste for Tradition
Mrs. Jones has been a passionate collector of erotic art since she was a young woman. As a child, she remembers being drawn to Renaissance paintings like Titian's Venus of Urbino, which featured a voluptuous female nude reclining in bed. She also admired Bouguereau's Dante and Beatrice, where the couple is locked in an intimate embrace. "Their connection is palpable," Mrs. Jones recalls. "You can feel it."
Her tastes have evolved over time, but her appreciation for traditional art remains strong. She now enjoys works from the French Impressionists, particularly Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party, where several couples are shown engaged in various stages of undress. "It's not just about sex - it's about love and relationships," she explains. "That painting captures all of that."
Aside from collecting, Mrs. Jones enjoys visiting museums and galleries around the world. Her favorite? The National Gallery in London, where she has seen masterpieces like Manet's Olympia. That painting depicts a fully-nude prostitute standing before the viewer with an air of confidence and defiance. "I love the way Manet challenges social norms," she says. "He makes you question your assumptions about sexuality."
Chapter 3. Modern Masterpieces
Mr. Lee became interested in contemporary art while studying at Yale University, where he majored in art history. He started his collection by purchasing work from emerging artists he discovered through gallery shows and art fairs. One of his first acquisitions was a set of photographs by Sally Mann, which depicted naked children playing in muddy streams or climbing trees. "They were so innocent and natural," Mr. Lee remembers. "There's nothing sexual about them, but they're incredibly sensual."
Over time, Mr. Lee developed an interest in eroticism, particularly in its intersection with politics and power dynamics. He owns pieces by Kara Walker, who explores racism and slavery through provocative images of African American women; Jenny Saville, who reimagines traditional Renaissance paintings with female bodies that are distorted and deformed; and Marlene Dumas, whose nudes often feature women in states of undress or intimate moments between lovers. "These works make me think about how we view our bodies - and how society views them," Mr. Lee explains.
In addition to collecting, Mr. Lee enjoys writing about art and contributing to online publications like Artnet News and Hyperallergic. He hopes that his passion for erotica can help others appreciate its beauty and complexity. "It's not just pornography," he says. "It has the ability to move us emotionally and intellectually."