This book investigates an area of Greek and Roman life which was an embarrassment to the eighteenth- and nineteenth century scholars discovering many objects in their classical collections. At a time of increasing sexual prudery such material was viewed as unsuitable for serious study and removed from public display.
The author shows that while overt sexual representations were common in painting, sculpture, pottery, jewelry and other minor arts, not all the objects which shocked the Victorians had an erotic purpose. Catherine Johns demonstrates that many had a religious and apotropaic function as well as reflecting the classical delight in erotic art for its own sake. They also shed light on the social mores of the time, in particular the wide range of sexual behavior acceptable in classical antiquity.