Tracing the erotic from its earliest origins to the present day, this provocative guide will illuminate the many shades of erotic art. Covering phallic Babylonian carvings from 1800 BCE, forbidden Victorian watercolours, 18th century Shunga woodcuts and the extraordinary queer art of Ron Athey, Valie Export and Tom of Finland, this witty guide celebrates the beauty, chaos and absurdity of erotic art - and questions how desire shapes the way we see the world.