The Poignancy of Old Pornography
Audio Brief
Show transcript
This episode explores the long history of erotic imagery, from ancient art to the transformative impact of photography, and its poignant connection to human mortality.
There are four key takeaways from this discussion. First, modern sexual interests are part of a continuous human history. Second, photography revolutionized the commercial trade and accessibility of sexual imagery. Third, historical images offer an intimate connection to our ancestors' private lives. Finally, photography powerfully captures the tension between life, time, and mortality.
Erotic art appeared in ancient Indian temples, Greek vases, and Roman homes, predating the modern era. Our sexual desires are thus not new, but a continuous thread woven throughout human history.
The 1839 invention of the daguerreotype was a pivotal moment, transforming the realism and accessibility of explicit imagery. This led to a booming commercial pornography market, notably in 1860s Paris, where early daguerreotypes were luxury items.
Viewing these historical images challenges sanitized perceptions of the past. They reveal our ancestors shared similar desires and private lives, offering a surprisingly intimate and humanizing connection to them.
Photography’s ability to capture a fleeting, living moment creates deep poignancy, especially in historical porn. These images serve as a stark reminder of past vitality and the inevitable passage of time and death.
This discussion offers a unique perspective on human desire, historical perception, and the enduring power of photographic memory.
Episode Overview
- Traces the history of pornography, from ancient art to the revolutionary impact of photography in the 19th century.
- Details the emergence of the commercial pornography trade in Paris following the invention of the daguerreotype.
- Explores how historical pornography helps us connect with the shared humanity and private lives of our ancestors.
- Reflects on the poignant relationship between photography, the present moment, and the inevitability of mortality.
Key Concepts
- The video begins by establishing that erotic and pornographic art has a long history, appearing on Indian temples, Greek vases, and in Roman homes long before the modern era.
- The invention of the photograph by Louis Daguerre in 1839 is identified as a pivotal moment. It transformed the realism and accessibility of sexual imagery, leading to a boom in pornographic daguerreotypes.
- By the 1860s, Paris had a thriving pornography market with hundreds of shops selling explicit photos, which were initially a luxury item costing as much as a worker's weekly salary.
- Viewing these historical images can challenge our sanitized perceptions of the past, revealing that our ancestors engaged in the same sexual activities and felt the same desires as we do today.
- The nature of photography—capturing a fleeting, living moment—creates a sense of poignancy. This is especially true for historical porn, which depicts people absorbed in the present, a stark reminder of their vitality and their eventual, inevitable death.
Quotes
- At 00:46 - "It would, pointed out one observer, have been cheaper to hire a prostitute for the day than to buy an image of her." - This quote illustrates the extreme expense and luxury status of the earliest pornographic photographs in the 1850s.
- At 01:41 - "There was a lot of cunnilingus and a good deal of anal in the year of the Great Exhibition and the Charge of the Light Brigade." - This statement contrasts the formal, official history we often learn with the overlooked reality of private human life.
Takeaways
- Our modern sexual interests are not new; they are part of a long and continuous thread of human history.
- Historical artifacts, including pornography, can offer a surprisingly intimate and humanizing connection to people from the past.
- Photography powerfully captures the tension between life and time, reminding us of both the immediacy of the present and the certainty of mortality.
- Embracing pleasure can be viewed as a profound act of living in the moment and a defiance against the inevitable passage of time.
- Our perception of historical figures is often incomplete, focusing on their public lives while ignoring the private, universal human experiences they also had.
