Explicit material is more widely available in the internet age than ever before, yet the concept of "obscenity" remains as difficult to pin down as it is to approach without bias: notions of what is "obscene" shift with societies’ shifting mores, and our responses to explicit or disturbing material can be highly subjective.

You are invited to enter the fantasy world of a "forbidden art," erotica, and to explore its many wonders. Over 500 color photographs of erotic artworks and artifacts are shown here, and most of them have not been published or exhibited previously. As you turn the pages, unforgettable images of love, passion, and sensuality unfold. Feast your eyes and mind upon sexual delights as you traipse randomly, back and forth, through many centuries, countries, cultures, artists, and mediums. The originality and imagination of the artists may expand, ignite, and incite your thoughts and senses. The author is a serious collector of art works and erotica, living in Florida.

For centuries, erotic art has brought together the intense passions of both artistic expression and human sexuality. This volatile mixture continues to draw a full spectrum of reactions, from ecstasy to outrage. Above all, it provokes an unquenchable curiosity that lures us into the mysterious realm of forbidden art. Featured here, in beautiful color, are over 500 works of erotic art. Through drawings, paintings, and sculpture, these visions of erotica span diverse countries, cultures, centuries, and lifestyles.

The storied and turbulent career of glamour artist Alberto Vargas took him from Florenz Ziegfeld's Follies in the 1920s to Hollywood in the 30s to Esquire magazine and the emergence of the "Varga Girl" in the 40s and, ultimately, to a lasting home at Playboy in the 60s and 70s.