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The Sin (Lossow)

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The Sin
Die Versündigung[1] (German)
ArtistHeinrich Lossow
Year1880[1]
MediumOil on canvas[1]
Dimensions55[1] cm × 37[1] cm (21.6 in × 14.5 in)

The Sin (German: Die Versündigung) is an 1880 oil on canvas erotic art painting by the German artist Heinrich Lossow (1843–1897).[1][2][3] The painting depicts a Catholic monk enjoying consensual copulation with a Catholic nun through an iron gate that is achieved by using an athletic sexual position; the painting uses the chiaroscuro technique to contrast its two subjects.[4]

While little is known of Lossow's motivation, the painting is believed to be thematically linked to the Banquet of Chestnuts, an event purported to have taken place in 1501 in Rome where Cesare Borgia, an Italian nobleman and former Cardinal, hired courtesans to attend a feast with his father, Pope Alexander VI.[4][5] The monk in the painting is sometimes suspected to be Cesare himself.[4] The painting caused significant controversy and outrage in Germany due to its explicit nature and anti-clerical content,[6] and Lossow was formally condemned by the Catholic Church.[7][8] The location of the painting remains unknown, and it is believed to be in private ownership.[7][8][4]

See also

References

  1. "Die Versündigung The Sin". Art Renewal Center. 2026. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
  2. Simon, Ed (2024). "Chapter II. A Sharp Whip at Her Own Girdle: Lust". The Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Heavenly Virtues. Cernunnos Books. ISBN 9781419774102.
  3. Jacobson, Caleb (March 2025). "Chapter 4. Religo-Fetishism". Unifying the Field of Psychosexual Therapy: An International Dialogue on Theories and Practices. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 83. ISBN 978-1036441159. Retrieved 13 June 2026. Eample 6. The Sin by Heinrich Lossow (c. 1880, Germany)
  4. Lucas, James (20 October 2023). "The Sin, Painting by Heinrich Lossow". Gallery Thane. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
  5. Davis, Liam (3 October 2023). "Heinrich Lossow – The Famous German Genre Painter". ArtFile Magazine. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  6. Smith, Camilla; Vanover, Ty (February 2026). Erotic Art in Modern Germany. Bloomsbury Visual Arts. p. 202-203. ISBN 9781350540200.
  7. "The Sin by Heinrich Lossow: Complete Guide to the Controversial 1880 Painting". HeinrichLossow.com. 23 November 2025. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
  8. Kirti, Kamana (21 December 2021). "5 Erotic Paintings That Scandalized the Art World". Fithy. Retrieved 25 April 2026.