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Pornography's Museum Origins and Brazilian Exhibition Controversies

publication · 2026-04-23

The term pornography originated in the late 18th century from the Secret Museum located in Pompeii, Italy, established by Carlos III de Bourbon between 1755 and 1857. In his essay "Museum, Trash and Pornography," featured in "El museo apagado" published by Malba in 2017, Paul Preciado delves into this topic. German historian C.O. Müller was the first to label the museum's exhibits as "pornography," which were exclusively available to aristocratic men. This background connects to recent debates in Brazil, such as the 2017 "Queer Museum" at Santander Cultural, the "Panorama" at MAM, and the 2018 "Histórias das Sexualidades" at MASP, all of which were accused of endorsing zoophilia and pedophilia. Preciado critiques modern museums for focusing on popular names rather than historical significance.

Key facts

  • The term 'pornography' was first used by German historian C.O. Müller in reference to the Secret Museum in Pompeii.
  • The Secret Museum was established by order of Carlos III de Bourbon between 1755 and 1857.
  • Paul Preciado's essay "Museum, Trash and Pornography" is included in the 2017 compilation "El museo apagado" published by Malba.
  • Brazilian exhibitions "Queer Museum" (2017), "Panorama" at MAM, and "Histórias das Sexualidades" at MASP (2018) faced accusations of promoting zoophilia and pedophilia.
  • MASP restricted its "Histórias das Sexualidades" exhibition to visitors over 18 years old.
  • Paul Preciado was in charge of the public program for documenta 14.
  • Preciado critiques museums like MASP and MoMA for creating a "baroque-financial museum" that produces "meaning without history."
  • The historical link between museums and pornography dates to the late 18th century, predating recent Brazilian debates.

Entities

Artists

  • Paul Preciado
  • Carlos III de Bourbon
  • C.O. Müller
  • Picasso
  • Van Gogh
  • Toulouse-Lautrec

Institutions

  • Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (Malba)
  • Santander Cultural
  • Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo (MAM)
  • Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP)
  • Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
  • documenta 14

Locations

  • Pompeii
  • Italy
  • Porto Alegre
  • Brazil
  • São Paulo
  • Buenos Aires
  • Argentina
  • New York
  • United States

Sources