Portal:Erotica and pornography

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Welcome to the Erotica and pornography Portal

Before the Deluge by Cornelis van Haarlem, 1615

Introduction

P:XXX

Pornography (colloquially known as porn or porno) is sexual subject material such as a picture, video, text, or audio that is intended for sexual arousal. Made for consumption by adults, pornographic depictions have evolved from cave paintings, some forty millennia ago, to modern virtual reality presentations. A general distinction of adults-only sexual content is made-classifying it as pornography or erotica.

The oldest artifacts considered pornographic were discovered in Germany in 2008 and are dated to be at least 35,000 years old. Throughout the history of erotic depictions, various people made attempts to suppress them under obscenity laws, censor, or make them illegal. Such grounds and even the definition of pornography have differed in various historical, cultural, and national contexts. The Indian Sanskrit text Kama Sutra (3rd century CE) contained prose, poetry, and illustrations regarding sexual behavior, and the book was celebrated; while the British English text Fanny Hill (1748), considered "the first original English prose pornography," has been one of the most prosecuted and banned books. In the late 19th century, a film by Thomas Edison that depicted a kiss was denounced as obscene in the United States, whereas Eugène Pirou's 1896 film Bedtime for the Bride was received very favorably in France. Starting from the mid-twentieth century on, societal attitudes towards sexuality became more lenient in the Western world where legal definitions of obscenity were made limited. In 1969, Blue Movie by Andy Warhol became the first film to depict unsimulated sex that received a wide theatrical release in the United States. This was followed by the "Golden Age of Porn" (1969–1984). The introduction of home video and the World Wide Web in the late 20th century led to global growth in the pornography business. Beginning in the 21st century, greater access to the Internet and affordable smartphones made pornography more mainstream. (Full article...)

Erotica is art, literature or photography that deals substantively with subject matter that is erotic, sexually stimulating or sexually arousing. Some critics regard pornography as a type of erotica, but many consider it to be different. Erotic art may use any artistic form to depict erotic content, including painting, sculpture, drama, film or music. Erotic literature and erotic photography have become genres in their own right. Erotica also exists in a number of subgenres including gay, lesbian, women's, monster, tentacle erotica and bondage erotica.

The term erotica is derived from the feminine form of the ancient Greek adjective: ἐρωτικός (erōtikós), from ἔρως (érōs)—words used to indicate lust, and sexual love. (Full article...)

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Selected article

In Japan, pornography has unique characteristics that readily distinguish it from western pornography. Pornographic films are known as "adult videos [ja]" (AV) in Japan, so Japanese adult videos (JAV) refers to the Japanese Adult Video industry. Animated films are referred to as hentai in English, but in Japan the terms "adult anime [ja]" and "erotic animation [ja]" (or ero anime) are used. In addition to pornographic videos and magazines featuring live actors, there are now categories of pornographic manga and anime (i.e., hentai), and pornographic computer games (eroge; for both PC and game consoles).

Reflecting Japan's views on sexuality and culture, Japanese pornography delves into a wide spectrum of heterosexual, homosexual, and transgender sexual acts in addition to unique fetishes and paraphilias. Starting with erotic stories and wood block prints from before the 20th century, Japanese pornography evolved into distinct subcategories. Partly under attempts to circumvent Japanese laws regarding censorship, but also to cater to particular fetishes, actors and producers often feature subject matter that in western pornography had historically been unseen or rarely depicted, and even now is less frequently featured; bukkake (group ejaculation), gokkun (consuming semen), omorashi (needing to urinate), and tentacle erotica are a few uniquely Japanese genres of erotica. Lolicon (young girls), shotacon (young boys), and their contribution to the controversy regarding the regulation of cartoon pornography depicting minors has been a major issue concerning child protection, free speech, and public morality both inside and outside Japan.

The Japanese Penal Code from the early 20th century has provisions against indecent material, so any lawfully produced pornography must censor the genitals of actors and actresses; this type of censorship also extends to the graphics of hentai manga, video games, and anime. Up until the mid-1990s, any depiction of pubic hair was also censored. Anuses are only censored at contact or penetration. Breasts and nipples are not censored. Pixelization is commonly used to follow the censorship guidelines without being too obvious. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

Selected work of erotic literature

Cover of the French edition

Story of the Eye (French: L'histoire de l'œil) is a 1928 novella written by Georges Bataille as Lord Auch (literally, Lord "to the shithouse" — "auch" being short for "aux chiottes", slang for telling somebody off by sending him to the toilet), that details the increasingly bizarre sexual perversions of a pair of teenage lovers, including an early depiction of omorashi fetishism in Western literature. It is narrated by the young man looking back on his exploits. In 1940 an edition of Histoire de l'œil was illustrated by Hans Bellmer. Histoire de l'œil entered the public domain on January 1, 2024. (Full article...)

List of selected works
The Autobiography of a Flea Fifty Shades of Grey Story of O Fanny Hill Jin Ping Mei Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle Lady Chatterley's Lover The Songs of Bilitis The 120 Days of Sodom Kama Sutra Lolita Tropic of Cancer (novel) Josephine Mutzenbacher Tijuana bible Emmanuelle (novel) Sex (book)

Slideshow of selected contemporary images

Image 1Playmate of the Year and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals spokesperson Pamela Anderson, signing DVDs at the USS Halsey
Image 2Michael Lucas, Nonie, Rafael Alencar, David Shankbone, and Ernesta Alamirano in Fire Island Pines
Image 3Playmate of the Year Claire Sinclair
Image 4Dana DeArmond
Image 5Dean Flynn and Chi Chi LaRue
Image 6The COLT Studio Group, San Francisco
Image 7Penthouse Pet Dani Daniels, wearing Penthouse key necklace
Image 8A Fluffer hands gay porn performers Jake Starr (seated) and Erik Grant (lying) items needed for a scene in the 2008 Lucas Entertainment production Pounding the Pavement.
Image 9Sculpture of Marilyn Monroe in Haugesund harbour, Norway

Image 9Sculpture of Marilyn Monroe in Haugesund harbour, Norway
Image 10Pierre Woodman filming in Australia
Image 11World map showing laws of general pornography
Image 12Bondage pornography, showing classic "wrist to ankle" rope hogtie. Other bondage methods depicted are breast bondage, elbow bondage, head to ankle tie, knees tied, and a crotch rope. Model is also wearing a muzzle gag.
Image 13Figure 12 in Zillmann, Dolf: "Effects of Prolonged Consumption of Pornography", included in the Report of the Surgeon General's Workshop on Pornography and Public Health, United States Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General, August 4, 1986
Image 14Carmen Luvana, Adult Entertainment Expo 2008
Image 15Playboy Playmate Alison Waite
Image 16Valentina Nappi at the AVN Awards Show, Las Vegas, Nevada on 21 January 2017
Image 17Karen McDougal
Image 18Michele_Merkin - Glamour photography
Image 19American pornographic actor Ron Jeremy. One of top Porn Stars of All Time.
Image 20Hentai Manga, Japan
Image 21Joanna Jet - transsexual pornographic actress and director
Image 22Cindy Margolis
Image 23Hentai style of art, originally from Japan
Image 24Pornographic actress and cosplayer Tanya Tate as She-Ra
Image 25Swedish/Tanzanian Playmate of the Year Ida Ljungqvist
Image 26Jessie Andrews
Image 27Pornographic DVDs, Japan, "Kawaii" section
Image 28Playmate of the Year Sara Jean Underwood
Image 29Example of Erotic photography
Image 30Louise Glover
Image 31Silvia Saint, wearing a Bomis tee-shirt (a site previously run by Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia).
Image 32Audrey Hollander - American porn star
Image 33Lisa Ann
Image 34Tila Tequila
Image 35Raylene
Image 36Shy Love at AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2012
Image 37Erotic actress and public health advocate Sharon Mitchell.
Image 38Transsexual pornographic actress Erica Andrews
Image 39Sean Michaels - pornographic actor.
Image 40Katsuni - French pornographic actress.
Image 41Jenna Jameson
Image 42Rebeca Linares at AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2009
Image 43Pornographic film set. Pictured from left to right: Cali Chase, Mikey Butders, and a photographer identified as "Nicole."
Image 44Francois Sagat, Folsom Street Fair
Image 45Playmate of the_Year Corinna Harney
Image 46Rocco Siffredi
Image 47Hugh Hefner with Karissa Shannon, Dasha Astafieva, and Kristina Shannon
Image 48Xaviera Hollander, author and former Sex worker
Image 49Pornographic actor and director Miles Long (submitted by self)
Image 50Daisy Marie posing with a fan at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2008
Image 51Lupe Fuentes

Slideshow of selected historical images

Image 1Erotic art, India, 18th century
Image 2The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife, an erotic woodcut made circa 1820 by Hokusai.
Image 3Classical Greek Bas Relief showing "Cowgirl" position
Image 4Hokusai, Untamed Lion, From the series Picture Book Patterns of Couples (Ehon tsui no hinagata), c. 1812
Image 5A rape scene by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (ca.1797-1861).
Image 6Indian Princess, by Richard Borrmeister [de] (1888?)
Image 7Traditional pederastic courtship scene on an Athenian black-figure amphora from the 5th century B.C.
Image 8Hadrian engaging in anal sex with Antinous in Egypt, portrayed by Édouard-Henri Avril.
Image 9Lakshmana Temple, Khajuraho, India, taken by User:Ggia
Image 10Roman oil lamp portraying intercourse
Image 11Cunnilingus portrayed at Pompeii - Source: John R. Clarke: Ars Erotica. Darmstadt: Primus 2009
Image 12Kama Sutra illustration (19th century?)
Image 13Johann Nepomuk Geiger, watercolor, 1840
Image 14The Venus of Willendorf prehistoric sculpture
Image 15A Mercury Priapus figure from Pompeii, ancient Rome
Image 16Hokusai, Untitled (Plate No. 4) From the series Picture Book Patterns of Couples (Ehon tsui no hinagata), c. 1812
Image 17Katsushika Hokusai, "The Adonis Plant (Fukujusô)" Woodblock, ca. 1815, Japan Shunga
Image 18Lakshmana Temple, Khajuraho
Image 19Shunga, Japan (ca 1750)
Image 20Kama Sutra illustration (19th century?)
Image 21Silenus and maenad. Tondo of an Attic red-figure kylix, ca. 480 BC. From Vulci, ancient Greece
Image 22Erotic engraving supposedly after Agostino Carracci (1557–1602)
Image 23Kama Sutra illustration (19th century?)
Image 24Erotic scene. Rim of an Attic red-figure kylix, c. 510 BC., ancient Greece
Image 25Nights of Horror, panel by Joe Shuster (public domain)
Image 26Two Lovers, by Reza Abbasi.
Image 27Nineteenth century nude photograph.
Image 28Miniature from 15th century Persian book
Image 29Erotic art, 18th century India
Image 30Erotic detail from the Vishwanath temple at the Khajuraho Group of Monuments
Image 31Illustration from La Grande Danse macabre des vifs, Martin van Maële (1905)
Image 32Illustration from Juliette by the Marquis de Sade.

Did you know (auto-generated) - load new batch

... that a pornographic screenplay about Jesus led to papal and royal condemnations, a firebombing, the writer's ban from the UK, and thousands of letters per week demanding the ban of a non-existent gay Jesus film?
... that Aroha Bridge changed its name from Hook Ups because fans searching for the show often found pornography instead?
... that Jan Kochanowski's Fraszki is a 16th-century collection of almost 300 poems, ranging from anecdotes and epitaphs to obscenities and erotica?
... that Koh Masaki was one of the first gay pornographic film actors in Japan to openly appear in adult films without obscuring his identity?
... that Philipp Tanzer has been an army medic, artist, firefighter, hairdresser, massage therapist, festival organiser, political candidate and gay porn star?
... that some viewers of an Arizona TV station saw hardcore pornography instead of the Super Bowl?
... that John Wayne Bobbitt Uncut was the bestselling pornographic film of 1994 and had the most rentals that year in the United States?
... that the pastor John Littlejohn went from selling pornographic literature to sailors as a youth to protecting the Declaration of Independence?