Naked Christ Paintings in Milan Art Galleries Have Erotic Overtones

THE AUSTRALIAN
By Luke Slattery
A visitor takes a snap at the Pinacoteca di Brera gallery in Milan. Source: Supplied
ITALY---Is there a sexual charge, a kind of quiet erotic warmth, at the heart of Christian devotion within the Catholic tradition? So on a visit to one of Milan’s oldest churches I asked the devout young guide what the go was with Christ’s beautiful nudity. I thought to ­honour the Australian tradition of bluntness, so I just came out with it: “Why is the dying Christ so sexy?” “His unclothed body is not sexy,” my ­companion replied with a note of displeasure. “It is a symbol of his humanity.” [link]