Erotic artwork is not necessarily about the nude body, nor is it necessarily sexual. Rather, contemporary artistic eroticism is largely about desire, fertility, and yearning. In this sense, a great deal of contemporary fine art is in fact erotic, from abstract artwork to fantasy, asian and surrealist artwork. Artists with diverse styles such as Georgia O'Keefe, Egon Schiele and Edouard Manet have all produced works full of eroticism.

Manet's Olympia, for example, is a painting of a nude woman. But the woman presented is a prostitute. With carefully controlled techniques and styles, Manet subtly challenges the viewer's desire to gaze at her beautiful body. Manet forces his viewer to remember that this woman is a person.

Georgia O'Keefe's portrayal of flowers and foliage are beautiful expressive masterpieces, each with a profoundly intense mood of desire. With images of the nude figure that are far from beautiful, Egon Schiele reveals the decadent self-destructiveness of uncontrolled desire.

Erotic artwork is far more diverse than often imagined when we remember that many modern fine artists interpret the meaning of eroticism very broadly. Eros, or, desire, is the key to eroticism in contemporary art. It can be seen in art as diverse as abstract, fantasy, surrealist and asian artwork. Next time you look at an abstract, surrealist, asian or fantasy artwork, see if "eros" is present. If you are interested in fine art styles that explore the meaning of desire, its joys and its dangers, erotic artwork is ideal for you.

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About The Author:

Barbara Swanson is a successful author and a distinguished freelance writer who specializes in art, music, education and international issues.