Through the centuries artists and creative people in general have always been tagged or thought of as being a little more sensual and amorous than most. When it comes to creativity and tenacity the biographies of artists are filled with tumultuous pleasures from visual delights to debauchery.
Anyone who has read the histories of artists like Schiele, Degas, Mr & Mrs DeKooning, Matisse, Picasso, Bacon, O’Keefe, Hockney, Botticelli, Kahlo & Diego and thousands more realizes that there is considerably more passion and worldliness in the lives of all these creative people than you would find in the average person.
You really have to be connected to the sensual universe to create a painting like the Birth of Venus by Botticelli. It has everything…the sea, sensual colors, fabrics, beauty, flowing hair, flowers, nymphs, drama, embracing, and modest nudity. This is a painting that can literally take your breath away when you see it in person.
The romantic painters like Gericault and Delacroix certainly brought passion to the world of art during their time. Ingres’s the Valpincon Bather is probably one of the most sensuous paintings of the human back.
What’s more sensuous than food? Cezanne could make a bowl of fruit look like an appetizing feast that you could almost smell and taste.
In the world of sensuality… flowers and nature make their presence known. For me Van Gogh can mix sunshine & nature into the most intoxicating floral arrangement. So powerful that you feel like you can pick up the aroma from across the room.
Here’s a painting by Georgia O’Keefe that you know is an object…a flower…but your imagination can deliver multiple sensual meanings.
Duchamp’s Etant Donnes a little disturbing…but purely driven by a passionate heart.
Women love the idea of being cherished and Klimt’s The Kiss has everything a girl could want. From the opulence of sensuous colors to the most intimate embrace.
One of my personal favorites when it comes to a sensual painting is…Flaming June by Lord Frederic Leighton. The repose is so inviting and the garment exudes sexuality.
Coming from a woman who would not typically be thought of being sensual comes a non-representational painting entitled Polar Stampede. Lee Krasner shares a take charge style that is both demanding and subtle in its sensuality.
Womb-like is the painting Red & Pink by Sam Francis. This painting is pure emotion and reflects sensuocity of the artistic spirit and interpretation.
Can photography that isn’t pornographic be sensual? I vote…Weston & Steigletz. A simple bell pepper turned into a stunning piece of sensual art and the passion derived from photographing Georgia O’Keefe or Weston’s Charis.
When I ran my photography studio for all those years, I met some pretty incredibly creative people. Models, makeup artists, stylists, designers, art directors, set builders, assistants, and darkroom magicians… and to me they all had one thing in common, they had a sensualness about them. It was reflected in many ways…their speech, vocabulary, styles of dress, lifestyles, and most importantly…an undeniable charm. It’s the creative people in this world who perpetuate the sensuality in all that is seen, heard, felt, tasted and aromatic.
If you’re a non-artist and you want to experience the joy of being around a creative and sensuous mate then look towards the artists of the world and it will add a dimension to your life that will help you embrace the stars.
