To disagree with dh over "art" being too erotic to hang in home

[Ginga66]

We were given a wedding present of a copy of titian's 'venus of urbino' by my little brother. Dh has protested it for years as he does not like my brother. It is quite large and dominates our living room.
Recently though he looked it up and as art goes it is considered a bit explicit due to the nude having her hand more or less at her private parts. I have to say I misinterpreted this as modesty but it is the opposite.
We have a three year old and a five week old. At ds1 birthday party some of the other parents tutted a bit and so have dh's family. I put this down to prudishness, lack of education, overly British etc etc.
Dh tried to wind me up tonight by saying social services would not approve!
I don't want ds1 to be exposed to anything that might be innapropriate but I don't want to buy into a culture of shame about bodies either.
Should I take the picture down? I am thinking a plain old nude is one thing but re examining this it is fairly erotic. I have no problem with my kids growing up one day obviously they will be exposed to sex education etc buti want to preserve their innocence. However I also don't want them to feel any shame or to be hemmed in by philistine like thinking.
Thoughts on this?

hahaha at person yacking in the background of the pic.

It is a bit saucy (sounds like own mother), not sure I'd put a large copy in the sitting room myself.

It's an awful choice for a living room, boob or no boob. Tell me, do you have a puffy cream leather sofa, dado rail and crystal chandeliers?

And people did not come into your house and tut. People don't do that.

It is quite a sexual picture, that is true (you only need to look at the expression on her face) but it is considered classic art and I believe that is exempt from normal rules

If you were to paint a picture of a nude woman tickling her bits and seductively gazing back at you, then people would view it differently But once something is declared Art - you can have as much fanjo and cock as you like and nobody's really allowed to object

fwiw - I think unless you live in a bloody massive manor house or something, people are more likely to just see it as pretentious. People are funny like that

Why not just hang it in your bedroom? How your husband feels matters every bit as much as how you feel and your bedroom would be a compromise.

We have a lot of pots painted with Athenian red figure images by OH when he was a student.
Nothing faintly erotic about many of them, but due to the response of his parents, he painted a polite side too. Then he could turn them round, like an Ealing comedy scene.
You could do the same, big-eyed puppy dogs on the back, masterbating Venus on the front.

well you have to ask yourself woud you lik a poster of a naked woman enlarged and stuck in your living room touching herself.

if the answer is still meh then fair enough but if the answer is no way in hell you have to ask yourself why it is ok to have a painting of it but not a picture.

I love Titian and I love that picture and I wouldn't think twice about having it on my wall (in fact I think it's in a pile of art postcards that I still haven't got around to framing)

But... you say it's large and dominates the front room. Your DH doesn't like it obviously. Maybe it's time to compromise and hang it somewhere less 'in your face' That however is the only reason I'd consider moving it. It's not pornographic, it's not particularly erotic imo unless you read about it, it's a classic nude. I'd be shocked if SS/HV or anyone gave a monkey's about it.

Does she have all her pubic hair?

No pubic hair, but at least she has some meat on her bones.

i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01469/Titiandone_1469563c.jpg

I can visulise it without seeing it. Put it on your wall and enjoy. Theres nothing bad about being semi naked and it isn't sexual unless you read up about it

Maybe you could also get hold of Rodin's David sculpture to give a balance!

Trust me, as an ex-Social Services worker that painting would not bother me at all.

On a personal level it isn't my cup of tea and I wouldn't want a huge copy of it hanging in my living room. But it isn't offensive or worrying.

If I were you I'd compromise with your DH and move it to another room of the house.

What paradise said

lol at your putting the tutting down to " prudishness, lack of education, overly British etc"

Unless you live in Buckingham Palace or something similar it must look pretty ridiculous tbh. I'd tut on that basis alone.

I have a Grayson Perry tapestry on my living room wall. It is very rude (typical of his style) but you have to look quite carefully. I forget it's there unless visitors point it out. I wouldn't take it down because of dc's seeing it and I certainly wouldn't censor a bit of nudity.

Rude, as in bits of bodies, is mostly in the eye of the beholder and children don't see things with the same frame of reference as we do.

Stealth boast complete.

I missed the stealth bit Anchor

IMO, if she's masturbating she's doing it wrong - it's going to take her AGES to get off that way.

Seriously, it's Proper Art, innit? Everyone knows Proper Art isn't roooooood.

Tell DH he's a wazzock.

Is there a male equivalent? I quite fancy a picture of a man having a chug on my wall!

That's basically what's on my wall paradise!

While Titian was mixing rose madder
His model reclined on a ladder.
Her position, to Titian, suggested coition.
So he climbed up the ladder and 'ad 'er.

I put this down to prudishness, lack of education, overly British etc etc.
I put this down to snobbery.

YANBU

There were several copies of art works featuring nude woman at my house growing up (all chosen by my mother). I don't remember anyone commenting on them.

If DH is bothered though, perhaps you could compromise and put it in a different room that is less frequented by guests?

Your Dh doesn't like it for whatever reason. You both need to find something else to put up. Something u both agree on.

It's his house too.

Is there a male equivalent? I quite fancy a picture of a man having a chug on my wall!

That nearly made tea come out of my nose!

I can't believe anyone would audibly 'tut' at your artwork. A huge copy of a very famous classic artwork wouldn't be my choice but to each their own.

I've got a slightly more explicit nude in my stairwell (I believe it's known as a split beaver shot). It is small though and hidden among several other paintings and pictures... I must see if I can elicit a tut from anyone... perhaps try and start a mid-stairs conversation with DMIL standing right by it?

Anchorwoman v. of your Grayson Perry tapestry!

Oh wow u guys made me laugh. It is not a boast at all, it is just a copy!!!
Anyhow to placate dh and taking down but agree there is nothing too wrong with the imagery so thanku all for your help in cementing that in my mind.

Don't take her down! Paint some underwear on her instead!

I like her.
tbh I think my DC's would ignore the 'nudie lady' and point straight at the sweet little dog.