A nude woman in a provocative pose draws attention to her muscular thighs and their junction, the latter intriguingly obscured by shadow. She invites the viewer to indulge in her callipygian form, unconcerned with our presence. Erotic art photography can examine not only the nature of the viewer’s desires, but those of the subject.
Turned away, her positioning is suggestive, offering her dramatic curves against a minimal background. Her spine sweeps inward and head tilts back sensually. Her calves turn upward and her toes meet, forming a perfect triangle, echoing the shadow over her vestibule. The pose forms a stable, pyramidal composition. A warm, graphite-grey, stippled texture covers her form; dark hair cascades down her glowing skin; her face is barely revealed.
Her outward display of sexuality expresses vulnerability and willful deference. She pridefully displays flexibility and athleticism that underscores her conscious choice of a prostrate position. She conveys a positive energy, unapologetic and comfortable in her nudity. No body part is treated as taboo. An erotic art nude photograph has the challenge of presenting the sensual in an aesthetic context. This image contemplates sensuality, unrestrained by conventions of modesty.
The image is nearly colorless. The near monochromatic nude steers the viewer towards the lines and shapes. Black and white encourages the viewer to consider the creative process rather than merely the subject. The overall effect can be less voyeuristic than color images. Resembling black and white, with hints of sepia tone, the color scheme is intricate. A range of subtle hues, varying in warmth, is rendered among the lights and darks.
The title, L’origine del mondo is a translation into Italian of L’Origine du monde, or The Origin of the World. This is a reference to the 1866 erotic oil on canvas painting by Gustave Courbet. It is on display at Musée d’Orsay in Paris which I visited before going to art school. The painting has been controversial in its unabashed celebration of the female body. I was captivated by the bold realism that produced such a seductive result. As erotic art photography, the pose is sure to captivate imaginations in homage to the powerful way the painting can.
