30 Millennia of Erotic Art. Victoria Charles

wealth of the Hellenistic period meant that many people could afford sculptures for their private houses and gardens. Consequently, more profane, even erotic, subjects were introduced to the repertoire of Greek art. Here, a sleeping, and probably drunk, satyr lounges sprawled out on an animal skin. The pose is unabashedly erotic, the figure’s nudity no longer signalling simply that he is a hero, athlete, or god, but rather suggesting his sexual availability. The naturalistic and idealised manner of depiction of the body of the satyr is a legacy of High Classical sculpture.

      62. Anonymous, Sleeping Hermaphrodite, Roman copy of a Greek original from the 2nd century BCE, mattress carved in 1619 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

      Ancient Greek. Marble, 169 × 89 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

      63. Anonymous, Erotic Scene from the Back of a Stele Depicting Dionysos, Hellenistic period.

      Ancient Greek. Archeological Museum, Nicosia (Cyprus).

      64. Anonymous, Zeus and Porphyrion during the Battle with the Giants, Pedestal Frieze, Great Altar of Zeus, Pergamon, c. 180 BCE.

      Ancient Greek. Marble, height: 230 cm. Pergamonmuseum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin.

      65. Anonymous, Zeus and Leda.

      Ancient Greek. Oil lamp. National Archeological Museum, Athens.

      66. Anonymous, Statuette of a Standing Goddess, Babylonia, 2nd century BCE.

      Ancient Near East. Alabaster, gold and ruby, height: 24.8 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

      67. Anonymous, Artemis of Ephesus, 1st century BCE.

      Ancient Near East. Terracotta, height: 20cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

      68. Anonymous, Fragment of a Rhyton Showing an Amorous Embrace, 2nd century BCE.

      Ancient Greek. Private collection.

      69. Anonymous, Grimani Altar, last quarter of the 1st century BCE.

      Ancient Roman. Museo Archeologico Nazional, Venice.

      70. Anonymous, Aphrodite of Melos, known as Venus de Milo, c. 100 BCE.

      Ancient Greek. Marble, height: 202 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

      The Aphrodite of Melos, or Vénus de Milo, is an original Greek sculpture dating to the Hellenistic period. It was discovered in a field along with other sculptural fragments, including a separate arm holding an apple, which belongs with this figure. The apple is probably a reference to the mythical “Judgment of Paris”. In that tale, the goddess of Discord tossed a golden apple inscribed “for the loveliest” towards the goddesses Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera. The young Trojan prince, Paris, was asked to decide which goddess should be awarded the apple. Each tried to bribe Paris but he chose Aphrodite, who offered him the love of the most beautiful mortal woman in the world. That woman, of course, was Helen of Sparta, already married to the Greek king. Her abduction by Paris started the Trojan War. While Aphrodite is criticised by Homer for her role in starting the conflict, she is celebrated here as the purveyor of true love.

      71. Anonymous, Aphrodite, known as Venus of Arles, end of the 1st century BCE.

      Ancient Roman. Marble, height: 194 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

      72. Anonymous, Hercules and Omphale, 1st century BCE.

      Ancient Roman. Carnelian. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.

      73. Anonymous, Mirror Cover Showing a Couple, 1st century BCE.

      Ancient Roman. Bronze. Antiquarium, Rome.

      74. Anonymous, Leda and the Swan.

      Ancient Roman. Cameo, 2.5 × 1.7 cm. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples.

      75. Anonymous, Faunus, c. 100 BCE.

      Ancient Roman. Pompeii.

      76. Anonymous, Mercury with Many Penises, c. 100 BCE.

      Ancient Roman. Pompeii.

      77. Anonymous, Phallic Tintinnabulum.

      Ancient Roman. Bronze. Pompeii.

      78. Anonymous, Tripod with Ithyphallic Young Pans, c. 1st century CE.

      Ancient Roman. Pompeii. Bronze. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples.

      79. Anonymous, Phallic Tintinnabulum, 1st century CE.

      Ancient Roman. Bronze. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples.

      80. Anonymous, Priapus, God of Fertility, 1st century CE.

      Ancient Roman. Bronze. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples.

      81. Anonymous, Skyphos with an Erotic Group (detail), c. 1st century CE.

      Ancient Roman. Private collection.

      82. Anonymous, Satyr Playing the Flute, beginning of the Common Era. Attican Plate (detail).

      Ancient Roman. Private collection.

      83. Anonymous, Skyphos with an Erotic Group (detail), c. 1st century CE.

      Ancient Roman. Private collection.

      84. Anonymous, Erotic Frieze.

      Ancient Roman. Private collection.

      85. Anonymous, Scene of Banquet in Open Air, 1st century CE.

      Ancient Roman. Pompeii. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples.

      86. Anonymous, Coupling Scene between a Satyr and a Nymph, first half of 2nd century CE.

      Ancient Roman. From the House of the Faun, Pompeii.

      87. Anonymous, Maenad Solicited by a Satyr Wearing Earrings.

      Ancient Roman. Fresco. From the House of L. Caecilius Jucundus in Pompeii. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples.

      88. Anonymous, One of three small erotic pictures from a small room adjacent to the kitchen, 1st century CE.

      Ancient Roman. Fresco. House of the Vettii, Pompeii.

      89. Anonymous,