This intimate, exquisitely produced collection of two millennia of erotic art takes a fresh look at the genre, offering provocative insights into what distinguishes the merely titillating from the masterful.

Beyond matters of personal taste, the best erotic art sets up a dramatic tension between a sense of pleasure and a sense of place. Icons of Erotic Art brings together 150 sublime examples of this dynamic, covering nearly every major period on art history: ancient, Renaissance and Rococo paintings; treasures from India, Japan and China; Impressionist and Modernist masterpieces; even caricature, cartoons, and Pop Art. These works are given close consideration, enhanced by details and compelling text. The result is a dazzling display of artistic eroticism and a new understanding of how its power transcends time and temperament.