Biblical eroticism
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| + | "As formerly [painters] had searched through classic authors, so now they searched through the [[Biblical eroticism|Bible for erotic scenes]]; and what they found there was not as harmless as the joyous legends of the [[Hellenes]], but such scenes as [[Lot (biblical person)|Lot and his daughters]], the [[expulsion of Hagar]], the two [[elders peeping at Susanna in the bath]], or [[Herodias]] confounding by her dance the senses of old Herod. If [[Judith]] is represented with especial frequency as the murderess of [[Holofernes]], the reason probably is that the thought was akin to the episode of [[Beatrice Cenci]]."--''[[The History of Painting: From the Fourth to the Early Nineteenth Century]]'' (1893/94) by Richard Muther | ||
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| {{Template}} | {{Template}} | ||
| - | [[Biblical eroticism]] is [[scarce]]. Its best-known stories are [[Adam and Eve]] and their [[Adam and Eve's expulsion from the garden of Eden|expulsion from the garden of Eden]], [[Bathsheba at her bath]], [[Susanna and the elders]], [[Potiphar's wife]], the story of the [[Penitent Magdalene]] and [[Lot and his daughters]]. However, the obsession of some [[early Church Fathers]] with [[sexual abstinence]] led to the development of very explicit [[penitential book]]s. | + | Throughout the history of painting, the bible has been used as [[a pretext to depict nudity]]. |
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| + | In the visual arts, its best-known depictions are the nudity of [[Adam and Eve]], especially during their [[Adam and Eve's expulsion from the garden of Eden|expulsion from the garden of Eden]]. | ||
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| + | Other passages that have lent themselves to erotic depictions are [[Bathsheba at her bath]], [[Susanna (Book of Daniel) |Susanna and the elders]], [[Potiphar's wife]], the story of the [[Penitent Magdalene]] and [[Lot and his daughters]]. | ||
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| + | Furthermore, the obsession of some [[early Church Fathers]] with [[sexual abstinence]] led to the development of very explicit passages in [[penitential book]]s, see [[texts on lust by the early Church Fathers Saint Augustine, Saint Jerome and Clairvaux]]. | ||
| ==Scarlet women== | ==Scarlet women== | ||
| :''[[bad women of the bible]], [[strange woman]]'' | :''[[bad women of the bible]], [[strange woman]]'' | ||
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| [[Jezebel]], [[Salome]], [[Eve]], [[Delilah]], [[Maacah]], [[Potiphar's wife]], [[Lot's daughters]], [[Lot's wife]], [[Herodias]], and [[Athaliah]] are the [[bad women]] of the [[bible]]. | [[Jezebel]], [[Salome]], [[Eve]], [[Delilah]], [[Maacah]], [[Potiphar's wife]], [[Lot's daughters]], [[Lot's wife]], [[Herodias]], and [[Athaliah]] are the [[bad women]] of the [[bible]]. | ||
| - | == Bibliography== | + | == Historiography == |
| - | *[[Terminal Essay]] | + | |
| - | *[[Erotika Biblion]] | + | Mirabeau in his ''[[Erotika Biblion]]'' (1783) laments the fact that the sexual practices dating from Antiquity related in the [[Old Testament]] were [[Bible translations|translated]] using [[euphemistic]] language. |
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| + | The "[[Terminal Essay]]" (1885-86) by Burton refers to the "Old Testament" and "its allusions to human ordure and the pudenda; to carnal copulation and impudent whoredom, to adultery and fornication, to onanism, sodomy, and bestiality?" | ||
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| == Other elements == | == Other elements == | ||
| *[[Song of Songs]] | *[[Song of Songs]] | ||
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| *Joseph and [[Potiphar's wife]] (1544) [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jacopo_Tintoretto_018.jpg] by [[Tintoretto]] at the [[Prado]] | *Joseph and [[Potiphar's wife]] (1544) [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jacopo_Tintoretto_018.jpg] by [[Tintoretto]] at the [[Prado]] | ||
| *[[Lot and his daughters]][http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albrecht_Altdorfer_046.jpg] [[Kunsthistorisches Museum]] [[Albrecht Altdorfer]] | *[[Lot and his daughters]][http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albrecht_Altdorfer_046.jpg] [[Kunsthistorisches Museum]] [[Albrecht Altdorfer]] | ||
| - | *[[Jan Massys]] [[Susanna and the Elders]] | + | *''[[Susanna and the Elders (Jan Matsys)]]'' by [[Jan Matsys]] |
| - | *[[Memling]] ''[[Bathsheba]]''[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hans_Memling_009.jpg] in the [[Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart]] | + | *[[Memling]] ''[[Bathsheba (Memling)|Bathsheba]]''[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hans_Memling_009.jpg] |
| + | *[[The Temptation of St. Anthony (theme in the visual arts)]], not featured in the bible | ||
| == See also == | == See also == | ||
| *[[Biblical stories]] | *[[Biblical stories]] | ||
| + | *[[Christianity and sexual morality ]] | ||
| *[[Bad women of the bible]] | *[[Bad women of the bible]] | ||
| *''[[Sex, Drugs, Violence and the Bible]]'' | *''[[Sex, Drugs, Violence and the Bible]]'' | ||
| *[[Sexuality of Jesus]] | *[[Sexuality of Jesus]] | ||
| + | *[[Sex in the Hebrew Bible ]] | ||
| + | *[[Pretexts for nudity in art ]] | ||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
Current revision
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"As formerly [painters] had searched through classic authors, so now they searched through the Bible for erotic scenes; and what they found there was not as harmless as the joyous legends of the Hellenes, but such scenes as Lot and his daughters, the expulsion of Hagar, the two elders peeping at Susanna in the bath, or Herodias confounding by her dance the senses of old Herod. If Judith is represented with especial frequency as the murderess of Holofernes, the reason probably is that the thought was akin to the episode of Beatrice Cenci."--The History of Painting: From the Fourth to the Early Nineteenth Century (1893/94) by Richard Muther |
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Featured: |
Throughout the history of painting, the bible has been used as a pretext to depict nudity.
In the visual arts, its best-known depictions are the nudity of Adam and Eve, especially during their expulsion from the garden of Eden.
Other passages that have lent themselves to erotic depictions are Bathsheba at her bath, Susanna and the elders, Potiphar's wife, the story of the Penitent Magdalene and Lot and his daughters.
Furthermore, the obsession of some early Church Fathers with sexual abstinence led to the development of very explicit passages in penitential books, see texts on lust by the early Church Fathers Saint Augustine, Saint Jerome and Clairvaux.
Contents |
Scarlet women
Jezebel, Salome, Eve, Delilah, Maacah, Potiphar's wife, Lot's daughters, Lot's wife, Herodias, and Athaliah are the bad women of the bible.
Historiography
Mirabeau in his Erotika Biblion (1783) laments the fact that the sexual practices dating from Antiquity related in the Old Testament were translated using euphemistic language.
The "Terminal Essay" (1885-86) by Burton refers to the "Old Testament" and "its allusions to human ordure and the pudenda; to carnal copulation and impudent whoredom, to adultery and fornication, to onanism, sodomy, and bestiality?"
Other elements
Examples in the visual arts
- Joseph and Potiphar's wife (1544) [1] by Tintoretto at the Prado
- Lot and his daughters[2] Kunsthistorisches Museum Albrecht Altdorfer
- Susanna and the Elders (Jan Matsys) by Jan Matsys
- Memling Bathsheba[3]
- The Temptation of St. Anthony (theme in the visual arts), not featured in the bible
See also
- Biblical stories
- Christianity and sexual morality
- Bad women of the bible
- Sex, Drugs, Violence and the Bible
- Sexuality of Jesus
- Sex in the Hebrew Bible
- Pretexts for nudity in art
![[1]](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jacopo_Tintoretto_018.jpg){kind=link}
![[2]](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albrecht_Altdorfer_046.jpg){kind=link}
![[3]](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hans_Memling_009.jpg){kind=link}