Explicit-Content Warning Accompanies Auction Listing for Erotic Rembrandt Etching
Christie's controversial auction listing: A rare Rembrandt etching, created over 350 years ago, deemed too explicit for public display Explore the hidden depths of this provocative artwork
A 350-year-old etching by Rembrandt, titled "The French Bed," has been deemed too explicit for public viewing by international auction house Christies. The artwork, created in 1646, is available for sale at the auctioneers London branch but can only be viewed online after passing a content warning.
Visitors to Christie's website have to click on a warning to see details of the lot.
The monochrome picture is part of the "Old Masters I" collection at Christie's, set to be auctioned on Thursday. It is concealed behind a sign that warns of "EXPLICIT CONTENT" and mature subject matter.
The drawing, expected to fetch as much as $500,000, portrays a couple on a luxurious four-poster bed with a canopy. The man and woman are partially dressed and clearly filled with passion.
"The French Bed" was drawn by the Dutch old master in 1646.
Christie's
The text accompanying the image on Christies site characterizes it as "one of a few openly sensual prints by Rembrandt." It is also, according to the auction house, "one of the most scarce etchings in his complete body of work."
The image depicts a partially filled wineglass on a nightstand, and the man's feathered hat seems to have been tossed onto one of the bed's posts.
The woman looks at her lover with a smile, and "the perplexing fact that she has three arms and hands adds to the vivacity of the scene," according to the essay.
Two previously unknown Rembrandt portraits worth millions have been discovered in a private collection in Britain.
Christie's Images Ltd
Unknown Rembrandt portraits found in private collection fetch $14.2 million
It goes on to say that the etching is not "in any way crass or obscene," describing it as "charming and light-hearted."
So, why the warning?
Christies declined CNNs request for comment on the matter, saying: "We have nothing further to add."
British art historian Richard Morris expressed in an email to CNN that he had never before seen such a warning on a painting, and noted that it was "a clever marketing tactic that will generate interest in bidding."
He further commented, "Rembrandt is among the world's top artists, with a charm that is truly universal. It's an erotic image, but there is no excessive sensitivity to it, unlike the works of Courbet or Toulouse-Lautrec."
"For all its antiquity, its a very modern piece of work - the affection for real life. Im sure Rembrandt would enjoy his new notoriety."
