Erotic Art History: I Modi
This months erotic art history lesson isn’t about an artist, but an art book. It’s called I Modi (The Ways) and it depicts sixteen explicit sexual positions and it was done up in 1524 by engraver Marcantonio Raimondi. According to legend, he based this book on the works that painter Giulio Romano was doing as a commission for Federico II Gonzaga, who was the ruler of the Italian city Mantua during the 1500’s.  When the book was printed the church swooped in and arrested Raimondi and destroyed all copies of the I Modi. In 1527 it was reprinted, this time with sonnets written by Pietro Aretino making it the first time erotic art and literature where combined. But, just as before the church came and destroyed all copies it could find and Raimondi was once again arrested (although was able to escape).
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