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5 Erotic Paintings That Scandalized the Art World
[NSFW] — Of horses, octopuses, cupids and monks
In 2017, my husband and I visited Bhutan. A beautiful landlocked country in Eastern Himalayas.
Can you take a wild guess at what bewildered us?
Bhutan’s happiness index? No.
Thunder Dragon, Bhutanese national symbol? Not at all.
Phalluses. You heard me right. Bhutan celebrates phallic art and considers it as a traditional symbol of potency rather than overtly erotic. They are painted on homes, carved in wood and installed above doorways and under eaves to ward off evil.
Similarly, the erotic sculptures of Khajuraho, India, tend to be misconceived as an exclusive manual for sex positions. But if we deep dive into the spiritual context of the Kama Sutra, it is beyond sex — an art of living well, the nature of love and nurturing one’s love life.
Erotic art and nudity have been part of art history forever. And when an art piece doesn’t conform to set rules and conventions stirs controversy.
This article would unravel 5 paintings that ooze out erotica and have scandalized the art world.
