Copulating Satyr and Nymph

myminifactory

This sculpture is a fragment depicting copulating Satyr and Nymph, its headless figure a testament to the artistic expression of ancient times. The sculpture stands as part of a renowned exhibition in Gabinetto Segreto, a collection of erotic art from Pompeii and Herculaneum, showcased in separate galleries within the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, Italy. Known also as the Secret Museum or Secret Cabinet, this collection was originally housed in the former Museo Borbonico. Throughout ancient Pompeii and Herculaneum, archaeological findings revealed a plethora of erotic frescoes, depictions of the god Priapus, sexually explicit symbols, and inscriptions, along with everyday household items such as phallic oil lamps. The Ancient Romans viewed sexuality quite differently from most modern cultures, their understanding of what was considered obscene evolving over time. Ideas about obscenity began to take shape in the 18th century, eventually developing into the modern concept of pornography. Initially, the excavation of Pompeii was an Enlightenment project aimed at uncovering the city's secrets, but as artifacts were reclassified using a new taxonomy method, those deemed unsuitable for public viewing were labeled as pornography and stored away in the Secret Museum. In 1821, these items were locked away, and by 1849, the doorway to this secret space was sealed off. At Pompeii, visitors could view erotic frescoes in metal cabinets for an additional fee, a peep show accessible only to gentlemen but not ladies. This practice continued well into the 1960s. Only individuals of mature age and respected morals were granted access to the Secret Museum, effectively limiting its audience to educated men. The catalog of this secret collection also served as a form of censorship, as engravings and descriptive texts downplayed the content of the room. The excavation of Pompeii was significant to various powerful groups with conflicting interests, each seeking validation for their own view of history. In the 1930s, Benito Mussolini saw the excavations as proof of Italy's continuity with ancient Rome, but the presence of sexually explicit material posed a problem. After years of being re-opened and closed, the Secret Museum was briefly made accessible again in the late 1960s before being permanently re-opened in 2000. Since then, the collection has been housed in a separate room within the Naples National Archaeological Museum, where it remains to this day.