Sexuality and Christian Art

Sexuality is not typically the direct topic of christian art. This does not mean that sexuality doesn't exist within the genre.

Christianity is a broad group of religions with varying rules for sexual behavior. In some christian religions one can have heterosexual sex after marriage. In the case of the Orthodox Christians priests can marry. Some christian religions forbid marriage of clergy yet keep it as a sacrament for everybody else (ex: Catholicism). More recently, some christian religions accept homosexuality, both within their congregation and the clergy. These rules and restrictions placed on the natural human drive for sexual behavior can have an impact on religious inspired art.

Examples of Christian Art with Sexual Content

Bernini's sculpture Ecstasy of Saint Teresa is an example of sexuality in Christian art (in this case Catholic). In the sculpture, St. Teresa is stabbed repeatedly by an angel by a long golden spear with an iron tip. The sculpture depicts a scene from St. Teresa's life when an angel stabbed her repeatedly causing her pain and sweetness. The stabbing of a such a phallic object producing both pain and pleasure has sexual overtones.

Homoerotic images may also exist, such imagery may be present in such paintings as Saint Sebastian.

See also

• Christian art
• Teresa of Avila

External Links

• Bernini's Ecstasy of St Teresa
• St.Teresa Biography