![Yogini. India; Kanchipuram or Kaveripakkam, Tamil Nadu state, ca. 900-975 Yoga: The Art of Transformation, Asian Art Museum](https://snadgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Yogini-India-Kanchipuram-Kaveripakkam-Tamil-Nadu-state-.jpg)
Yoga: The Art of Transformation, Asian Art Museum
Kama Sutra (400 BCE–200 CE)
This ancient Sanskrit text, widely repurposed today as a kitschy gift book for lovers, is a manual on sexual intercourse (detailing 64 types of sexual acts), marriage, family life, and love. The book includes 10 chapters focused on specific instructions for touching the body, such as embracing, caressing, kissing, biting, and scratching, as well as sexual positions. One of the oldest books on sex, the Kama Sutra was not translated to English until 1883.
![Atelier Van Lieshout Fertility Lamp, 2009 Galería OMR](https://snadgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Atelier-Van-Lieshout-fertility-lamp.jpg)
Fertility Lamp, 2009
Galería OMR
![Betty Tompkins Sex Painting #4, 2013 Almine Rech](https://snadgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Betty-Tompkins-sex-painting-4.jpg)
Sex Painting #4, 2013
Almine Rech
![Marc Quinn Sphinx (Silver Leaf), 2011 Fine Art Mia](https://snadgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Marc-Quinn-sphinx.jpg)
Sphinx (Silver Leaf), 2011
Fine Art Mia
![Tayeba Begum Lipi Love Bed, 2012 Guggenheim Museum](https://snadgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Tayeba-Begum-Lipi-love-bed.jpg)
Love Bed, 2012
Guggenheim Museum
![Tracey Emin Lilac Legs, 2014 Lehmann Maupin](https://snadgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Tracey-Emin-lilac-legs.jpg)
Lilac Legs, 2014
Lehmann Maupin
![Huguette Caland Untitled, 1985 Lombard Freid Gallery](https://snadgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Huguette-Caland.jpg)
Untitled, 1985
Lombard Freid Gallery
![Marlene Dumas The Kiss, 2003 Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam](https://snadgy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Marlene-Dumas.jpg)
The Kiss, 2003
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
via 50 Shades of Grey in Art and Literature on artsy