Das Lusthaus der Knaben (The Boys’ Pleasure House) is, apart from his tribute to Jo, the only named erotic portfolio that Erich Godal produced, its explicitly homoerotic scenes chiming perfectly with the early Berlin Weimar years. There is nothing in Godal’s autobiography to suggest that he was gay himself, though like many of his friends in their early twenties in a city renowned for its sexual freedom he probably dabbled in bisexual experimentation.

These ten simple hand-coloured prints demonstrate Godal’s ease with pen and brush, the skill that made him such a natural cartoonist. He keeps his palette of colour washes to an absolute minimum, thus unifying the portfolio and allowing us to enjoy the flow and apparent innocence of youthful sensuality.

We are very grateful to Hans-Jürgen Döpp for these images; Hans-Jürgen, the compiler of many books on erotic art, curates the Venusberg online gallery and bookshop which you can find here.