Category: History (5)

When it comes to erotic imagery, a significant chapter in the history of photography occurred during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which is also known as the Pictorialist movement. This period embraced photography as an expressive, artistic medium rather than a mere tool for documentation.

The Pictorialist movement prioritized mood, composition, and aesthetic quality over realistic portrayal, which is why photographers from this era tried to incorporate the techniques of Impressionists and Romantic painters.

Photographers in this era strived to elevate photography to a level of fine art by experimenting with soft focus, tonal manipulation, and carefully crafted compositions that carried emotions and expressed the atmosphere in which the photographs were taken.

Credit: William Mortensen

Pictorialism With Erotic Undertones

The world of photography has seen various styles before Pictorialism, but this movement had a unique approach to it by making it more...

When it comes to the 19th century, the world of art completely changed as photography was invented. Of course, the birth of photography and the origins of erotic nude photography also begin, which makes the 19th century quite a big deal for everyone who loves erotic art.

Influence of Early Erotic Photography

For aspiring artists back in the 1800s, erotic photography was not as accepted as it is today. While today you can hop on the internet and browse through thousands of erotic galleries of all kinds of beauties, back in the day, all of this had to be done in secret, and, of course, without the internet.

Because the 19th century was a strange time, as there was a dilemma between public moral values and the private desire for sensual and erotic imagery, an underground nature of work for those who were interested in erotic arts had to be created.

Some of the early erotic photographers, like Felix-Jacques Moulin and a couple of others that we will mention later in the article, played a critical role in pushing the boundaries of art, and they worked hard to influence their point of view on the public, to make erotic photography accepted with more open arms.

Credit: Felix-Jacques Moulin

The Underground Distribution

Before anyone really bothered to change the public's perspective on erotic photography, the...