Contemporary Masters: An Erotic Portfolio

Bradley Smith, the well-known art historian and photographer, has devoted much of his life to the study of sex in art. His recent work culminated in a new book, "20th Century Masters of Erotic Art," from which most of this portfolio was selected. In the course of his study, Smith and Henry Miller became good friends. Miller's commentary on page 214 was culled from their many conversations.

There is nothing abstract about erotic art. The surface scene may be as thin as new ice, but down below, the sexual fires burn brilliantly. The viewer may wonder what the artist means, but he never has to ask what the painting is about. By viewing the erotic paintings of contemporary artists, we can hope to understand some of our sexual frustrations, as well as our satisfactions.

We live in a society in which sex is widely and wildly exploited. Television, motion pictures, newspapers, plays, all devote much time and space to erotic themes. The important difference between sex exploitation and erotic art lies in the sensitivity and talent of the artist, his imagination and technique permanently stamped on the work.

As with all art, erotic painting is a quest. In this search, the strange, bizarre or fantastic becomes understandable. In erotic paintings, the essence of the sex drive may pique the curiosity of the viewer, reveal a new view of sensuality, may even have a direct physical effect on the viewer.

Since 1960, themes in erotic paintings have dealt with the fast-changing sexual customs of Western society. Women no longer are shown as sex objects but as full participants in all kinds of sexual activities. Indeed, a considerable number of erotic paintings are created by women.

The painting of erotic pictures, of sensuous images, has nothing to do with sexual morality. Sex in art has a value of its own. Sex in life has a value of its own. Sexual ethics are not in conflict with erotic painting. The artist does not recommend a sexual distinction, a sexual direction to the viewer. He looks inside himself, observes his environment and creates a work of art out of it--Bradley Smith

Reflections on Erotica

I think painters are always looking for something--something that will explain some aspect of the world to them. In erotic art, the painter searches for a meaning in sex. He may not find it, but the search itself is meaningful and gives satisfaction and meaning to his life.

•

I was talking one day to some Japanese girls. They said they were disgusted with "porno" films. Sheer dirt. I don't agree. I say it's unnatural for anyone to turn his eyes away, no matter how lousy the films are. It's a cock and a cunt and they are fucking and it's exciting. Erotic literature and art, after all, is such an elemental force. Fucking is more than sex. It's just as magical and mysterious as talking about God or the nature of the universe.

•

One wonders sometimes what is the ideal setting for lovemaking, the most inspiring ambience for making love. Is it the bedroom, with plush rose-colored walls and mirrors everywhere? Or is it the icy igloo, soundproof, weatherproof, isolated from the world, in which the lovers lie naked and warm between thick bearskins? Or is it the parked car in a vacant lot, with the radio turned on full blast? Could it be that with all the artistry and skill, all the aesthetic surroundings that civilized man has introduced to render this simple act more enjoyable, he has lost what any mongrels in the street enjoy when helplessly coupled, one pulling north and the other south, as they wait patiently for someone in the crowd to throw a pail of cold water over them?

•

There are no new ways of sex, only different ways of portraying it. As a man rearranges his lifestyle, his sexual ways change with it. We get the kind of art that reflects these changes. We get what we deserve ... and the wonder of it is that our civilization allows us the freedom to view the world as it is.

•

Age has much to do with the effect of erotic pictures or erotic literature. The works of Casanova, Rabelais or Boccaccio, which may have got my juices running as a young man, would not have that effect today. The same is somewhat true of erotic paintings, yet there is a difference, because I've always been a bit of a voyeur. Painting interests me, has always interested me, very much. But, like erotic literature, it has no effect unless it is done by an artist.