A Brief History Of Boudoir Photography

The use of boudoir photography today is so common that it may seem hard to imagine a time when it was not the case. But this photographic art form and its relationship with the worlds of art, culture and marketing, not to mention what is broadly termed the ‘sex industry’, are complex and have taken a long time to emerge.

Boudoir as a concept originated in France as a form of painted art over 200 years ago, before there were any cameras to take photographs with. And while photography emerged in the 19th century, the concept of using it in boudoir art style did not emerge until the 20th century, by which time the standard and clarity of photographic technology had greatly increased. 

The emergence of boudoir photography can, therefore, be firmly placed in the 1920s. Nude photography was not allowed in many countries, but the use of plus-sized women in underwear shoots and the emergence of ‘pin up girls’ became popular and by the 1940s props were introduced.

It was in the latter part of the 20th century that boudoir photography really took off. The advent of colour photography created more visual possibilities and the sexual revolution of the 1960s altered attitudes towards nudity. What was increasingly less taboo started to become accepted as a professional photographic art form in the 1970s. 

Since then, western culture has gradually come to see this form of photography as artistic rather than simply pornographic, although opinions will vary even among those in feminist circles. For example, while some might still make the accusation that it treats women as objects, others have highlighted a growing emphasis on sentiments like body positivity.

While there will always be debate about these issues, it is clear that boudoir photography is here to stay. Whether it is the wider reach and accessibility of images via the internet, broadened perspectives on what constitutes art or simply the marketing reality that ‘sex sells’, the first century of boudoir photograph clearly won’t be the last.