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Riccardo Mannelli’s Erotic Drawings Show the Beauty of Intimacy

The way we express ourselves intimately with our partners in real life seldom resembles the glamorous heaving and sighing of movie sex scenes. Italian artist Riccardo Mannelli eschews these cinematic cliches when he conveys personal moments between couples. In his ongoing series of works on paper, Mannelli's approach to erotica feels natural and unpretentious. The bodies he focuses on are not idealized by any means: He honestly depicts his subjects' aging physiques, tattoos, and body hair. By embracing these so-called imperfections, Mannelli celebrates their beauty.

The way we express ourselves intimately with our partners in real life seldom resembles the glamorous heaving and sighing of movie sex scenes. Italian artist Riccardo Mannelli eschews these cinematic cliches when he conveys personal moments between couples. In his ongoing series of works on paper, Mannelli’s approach to erotica feels natural and unpretentious. The bodies he focuses on are not idealized by any means: He honestly depicts his subjects’ aging physiques, tattoos, and body hair. By embracing these so-called imperfections, Mannelli celebrates their beauty.

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