December 23, 2009

Art Nouveau Nudes

Art Nouveau Nudes and erotica were a major subject of the Art Nouveau movement in France and Britain..
Erotic Art was hugely popular at that time.

Many businessmen had an erotic cigarette case or an erotic cigar case with very naughty pictures indeed hidden inside.
Erotica was immensely popular in gentlemens clubs and Edwardian businessmen would seek to find new novelties to show their friends.

This was a fairly libertine time in Europe - Queen Victorias reign was over (or about to end) and the Edwardian era began.

Victorians and Edwardians were nowhere near as straight-laced and fuddy-duddy as they would have us believe.

It was very normal for Edwardian men to have mistresses and for their wives to ignore that fact and the collection of artistic photographs in the study of their husband.. This of course expanded to undraped paintings (often of classical subjects with Rubenesque ladies prominently displayed)

Not many people know this but photographers almost always had a secret list of wealthy client they sold French style photo to for their collection.
Several photographers had the idea of sending out proof pictures to middle managemnt officers in large companies and they would then send out weekly photos of the latest naughty pictures on a subscription basis (at a reduced cost of course).
There was an additioal titillation in knowing that the ladies involved were usually prostitutes and were also ... available.

Even cigarette cases and glassware had erotic and nude subjects (cigarette cases often included pornographic subjects normally hidden in a secret compartment)..It was a handy place to keep both your cigarettes and a naughty picture to peek at.
Glassware and silverware companies followed that trend and in some cases led it. Mostly the delicate form of unclad ladies was socially acceptable and even went as far as lampshades and vases.

Lalique Daum and other fine glassmakers produced exquisite glass figurines for this market.
In this section you will see taseful erotica in many materials including Glass,Bronze,Medals,Clocks and Lamps and even Photographs..