Onanism

POUND Gallery, Seattle
March 2003: Ladyfest [ISMs show]
Acrylic on board, 12" x 12"

I named my pet canary Onan, because he spills his seed upon the ground.
---Dorothy Parker

Genesis 38:8-10
And Judah said unto Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.”
But Onan knew that the heir would not be his [under Hebraic law, the offspring produced would belong to his brother’s family line]; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled his seed on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother.
And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: therefore he killed him also.

Onanism is an old-fashioned term for masturbation, although the story of Onan has nothing to do with self-pleasure. (The story is, however, the basis for centuries of religious rule against contraception.)
It has been said the everyone practices the Science of Onanism: Mark Twain himself delivered a speech with that title in 1879 to the Stomach Club, a society of American writers and artists in Paris. There are hundreds of terms for this act, and god bless the folks who collect them all and make web pages for lazy artists to research late into night. Historically most of the words for this activity have been very male defined, but it is heartening to realize that the girls are rapidly catching up to the boys! I thought it would be entertaining to try to illustrate a few of them literally, so here you get two “Isms” for the price of one: euphemisms for Onanism.

Comments

[Irving A. Goodtime]

Your master-work (*snirk*) thus far!

[Dane]

This picture is amazing. it reminds me of a painting i have. its from a cbs tv show in 1992 that had 6 episodes called grapevine. the set director gave it to me as a gift. it's a picture on a canvas with a teddy bear, jack in a box, and a yellow bird. i want a estimite about it call me at 1954-966-1089 i live in florida. anyone interested give me a call. thank you