Roman sex, 100 B.C.-A.D. 250 / by John R. Clarke ; new photography by Michael Larvey.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Clarke, John R., 1945-

Contributor:

Larvey, Michael.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Art, Roman--Themes, motives.

Art, Roman.

Erotic art--Italy--Rome.

Erotic art.

Sex customs in art.

Italy--Rome.

Physical Description:

168 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 29 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Harry N. Abrams, [2003]

Summary:

Picture a world where good sex is a blessing of the gods, not a cause for guilt, and where acts often considered immoral, even illegal, by today's standards are instead celebrated. Such a world is no futurist's fantasy, but rather the reality of ancient Rome, 100 B.C. to A.D. 250. In Roman Sex, a lavishly illustrated, contextual study of the erotic art of that era, historian John R. Clarke exposes previously hidden paintings, sculptures, and ceramics featuring such controversial subject matter as group sex, lesbianism, and the phallus as talisman. He then uses these works to explain ancient Roman attitudes toward a range of societal issues. The beautifully reproduced art, most in full color, hails from the entire Roman empire, including what is now Germany and France. Fresh, accessible, and seriously fun, Roman Sex offers copious information about a culture that, though very different, was an important precursor of our own.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (page 164) and index.

ISBN:

0810942631

0810991586

OCLC:

50448039