Eroticism Definition, Meaning & Synonyms: We explain what eroticism is, its characteristics and presence in art. Also, how to enhance it and differences with pornography.
What is eroticism?
Eroticism is the ability to awaken sexual desire and excitement in others, generally through suggestive behaviors, images and/or words, that is, veiled, not explicit. It is a complex concept, often comparable to sensuality, which generally expresses mischief, provocation and stimulation of the libido, although in many cases it is distinguished from pornography and explicit sexual content.
Eroticism is an entirely cultural factor, distinct from sexuality itself, and its forms and conditions can vary substantially from one culture to another.
What is considered erotic (that is, capable of awakening the libido) in some cultures may not be so in others, as is the case with the issue of women’s hair in Islam and Judaism, religions in which women are required to cover their hair with a veil, a scarf or a wig. For the same reason, it is very difficult to define universally what can be erotic and what cannot. Can you get information about Matter and Energy also?
The word eroticism comes from the name given by the ancient Greeks to the deity of passionate love and sexual attraction: Eros, equivalent to the Roman Cupid. This god was considered responsible for infatuation, that is, for arousing maddening desire among human beings.
Eventually, the ancient Greeks distinguished between this type of love guided by erotic desire (eros, and cupiditas for the Romans) and the supportive or elevated love that is guided by the desire for the well-being of the other (agape, and caritas for the Romans).
This distinction is central to Western thought and gave rise centuries later to the distinction between erotic love (linked to the body) and romantic love (linked to the spirit), although both do not necessarily always have to be separated. Can you get information about Worker also?
Eroticism has always had an enormous presence in the arts and culture, whether sheltered in ambiguity and apparent innocence, or in a more direct and suggestive way.
On the other hand, it has been in constant tension with monotheistic religions, which are generally modest and look down on both nudity and sexual desire (lust). However, many descriptions of mystical or religious rapture, such as those composed by Saint Teresa of Jesus (1515-1582), can have an undeniable erotic tone.
On the other hand, eroticism is not exclusive to art and culture, but is part of everyday life, to the extent that individuals have fantasies, hidden desires and feelings of their own around the sexual act, which can vary from individual to individual and are part of the discourse we weave around sex.
Eroticism is present in seduction, since it is a way of expressing sexual affections, and it is said that a person is eroticized when they are “taken” by them.
Characteristics of eroticism
In general, eroticism is considered to have the following characteristics:
- It is everything that connects the viewer with sexual desire and physical attraction, although rarely in an explicit and direct way: the erotic is usually suggestive, veiled, inviting.
- It is a cultural perspective, which can vary from one people to another and which is not limited to sexual libido, although it is capable of arousing it.
- From a social point of view, it is part of the individual and collective ways of expressing sexual interest and attracting the other, in order to lead to intercourse.
- Eroticism can be encouraged or appeased, and many couples seek the former through erotic games (or sexual games), such as power dynamics, costumes, role-playing, etc.
Eroticism in Art
The presence of eroticism in art dates back, as we have said, to ancient times. In fact, some of the first human sculptural representations accentuate the erotic features (the bust, the body curves, etc.) of female effigies, surely associated with the religious cult of some deity linked to fertility (of the womb or the soil).
However, as cultures developed more complex social and religious systems, and many sexual behaviors were repressed or tabooed, eroticism gained ground as an artistic outlet to insinuate (rather than show) sexual desire.
In general, erotic art is content to show in a veiled manner, to suggest or insinuate what cannot be appreciated frontally, through paintings, poems or sculptures. Nude art in ancient times, for example, did not have the same erotic considerations as it would have had in the Middle Ages, given the repression of sensuality that characterized European Christianity at the time.
But erotic art survived and reappeared strongly in contemporary times, using new techniques of artistic representation, such as comics, photography or cinema, in which situations, visions or stories with suggestive content are represented. Unlike pornography, traditionally linked to commercialism and bad taste, artistic eroticism is considered a valuable form of human expression. Can you get information about the Characteristics of Romanticism also?
Examples of erotic artistic works are:
- The Japanese woodcuts by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), such as The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife (1814).
- The novel Lolita (1955) by Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977).
- The erotic comics of the Italian Milo Namara (1945-) such as The Click (1984) or The Invisible Perfume (1986).
- The film The Last Tango in Paris (1972) by Bernardo Bertolucci (1941-2018).
Eroticism and Pornography
The line that separates eroticism from pornography is difficult to draw and often complicated. Traditionally, eroticism is considered to imply a veiled, insinuating or suggestive representation, while pornographic is explicit, frontal or in bad taste.
However, that distinction has become more and more complicated over time, as the discourses around the body and art change and much of what was once a cause for scandal is now in museums.
It is also possible to distinguish between eroticism and pornography on the basis of a more pragmatic consideration: the former is in the world of art and human behaviour, while the latter is linked to the commercial exploitation of the cinematic representation of sex.
In other words, pornography is an industry dedicated to producing films about sex, whose purpose is to eroticise or excite the viewer, but devoid of any considerable artistic merit.
Even so, many complicated and intermediate cases arise, many artists accused of being pornographers or, why not, many forms of pornography that have won the hearts of those who appreciate art. It is, therefore, a distinction that is constantly changing and redefining, although at any given moment in history it is possible to differentiate between what is acceptable (eroticism) and what is taboo (pornography).
Autoeroticism
The term autoeroticism, in the jargon of psychoanalysis, was used by the German psychiatrist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) to refer to certain forms of sexuality that manifest themselves around one’s own body, without the need for someone else to satisfy oneself. Masturbation is the main act of autoeroticism, generally through bodily stimulation by one’s own hands, or by erotic toys such as vibrators, dildos, etc.
How to enhance eroticism?
In the case of couples who seek to enhance their erotic life, to revive or intensify their sexual encounters, there are many possible ways to regain the lost connection with the other, but all of them must necessarily start from communication and the search for formulas that are stimulating for both. These generally include:
- Massages, dancing, aphrodisiac foods or even trips that interrupt the routine and recover the sense of novelty.
- Role-playing games, costumes and the use of suggestive underwear.
- The incorporation of sex toys during intercourse, or fetishistic sexual practices (BDSM).
- The incorporation of third parties during intercourse, or the practice of sexual exchanges (swingers).
Whatever practice is chosen to try, it must always be by mutual agreement between the parties, or there is a risk of causing unexpected damage to the relationship, or even to the psyche of the participants. Likewise, any sexual practice must be experienced responsibly (both emotionally and physically) and with due protection from sexually transmitted diseases.
