Gustave Courbet (1819-77)

A highly regarded artist and exponent of Realism Courbet painted a series of erotic paintings for his patron Khalil Bey alongside his more mainstream works such as Bonjour Monsieur Courbet and The Painter's Studio.

 

 

 

Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898)

Was a homosexual and controversial Art Nouveau artist who created beautiful illustrations imbued with eroticism. His designs recall the finer points of Greek erotic pottery.

 

 

 

Egon Schiele (1890-1918)

This German Expressionist began to show a strong interest in pubescent girls, who were often the subjects of his most erotic drawings. In fact his studio in Vienna became a gathering place for displaced children and as his activities arose suspicion the police arrested him in 1912 seizing pornographic images and charging him with seducing a minor. He was latter acquitted of those charges and found guilty for displaying pornographic images in a place assessable to children. He later died of influenza.

 

 

 

 

George Petty (1894-1975)

Freelance American artist who created the Petty Girl an all American icon that lasted from 1933 to 1956 and were famously featured in Esquire magazine.

 

 

 

Alberto Vargas (1896-1982)

Born in Peru Alberto Vargas began his career in the United States as the official painter for the Ziegfeld Follies (1919 to 1934) before replacing George Petty as the pin up artist for Esquire magazine in 1940. His girls went on to have spreads in Playboy in the late 1950s until the late 1970s.