conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What is a description for a book titled The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts about offers with the genre: Politics & Social Sciences, Social Sciences?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: As stated in the introduction, this encyclopedia "offers a revisionist art history, one that places the achievements of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer artists in historical contexts and that privileges the representation of subjects that have traditionally been censored or marginalized." The first book from the online encyclopedia http://www.glbtq.com attempts to accomplish this through 200 signed entries that are accompanied by bibliographic information and cross-references. Like any well-executed encyclopedia, it provides a sound overview of the topic at hand while encouraging and supporting further exploration.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Delete the last sentence.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: As stated in the introduction, this encyclopedia "offers a revisionist art history, one that places the achievements of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer artists in historical contexts and that privileges the representation of subjects that have traditionally been censored or marginalized." The first book from the online encyclopedia http://www.glbtq.com attempts to accomplish this through 200 signed entries that are accompanied by bibliographic information and cross-references.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What is the first five paragraphs for this book?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts
  At this point Ricketts began to work at oil painting, a medium in which Shannon already excelled, specializing in formal portraits, and biblical and classical scenes. Ricketts did not enjoy equal success and, although he continued to do some painting, turned his attention to other artistic pursuits—sculpture, lithography, jewelry design, and stage design.
  He became especially well known for his stage work. Between 1906 and 1931, he was involved in over fifty productions, designing costumes and sets, and sometimes even making properties and lighting the stage. In addition to their own creative pursuits, Ricketts and Shannon were avid collectors of art. Although their income was always modest, they were able to acquire a diverse collection that included Japanese prints, Greek and Egyptian antiquities, and drawings by such masters as Rembrandt and Rubens. Ricketts was especially canny at recognizing undervalued works. He used this ability to advantage as an advisor to the National Gallery of Canada.
  Although they spent their entire adult lives together, Ricketts and Shannon never publicly identified themselves as a homosexual couple. Commentators believe that Ricketts was certainly a homosexual, but Shannon seems at least occasionally to have been attracted to women. His relationship with Kathleen Bruce, of whom he painted several portraits, caused considerable anxiety to Ricketts, who recorded in his diary his fear that Shannon might marry.
  In January 1929, Shannon fell while hanging a picture. He never completely recovered his health or senses and remained an invalid until his death in 1937. Ricketts died of heart failure in 1931.
  Although some of their remarkable collection of art was sold to provide for Shannon in his final years, many of the Asian pieces now belong to the British Museum, and most of the others are in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What is five more paragraphs?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Semmelrath, Hannelore. "Der Orpheus Mythos in der Kunst der italienischen Renaissance." Ph.D. diss., Cologne, 1994.
  He was, moreover, the patron of all in need of luck, especially men and women in search of sexual satisfaction. Although he is generally depicted as heterosexual in his tastes, Priapus numbered among his devotees men who were attracted to other men. He threatened potential evildoers with forcible penetration, a painful experience considering the huge size of his phallus. People commonly wore the phallic amulet of Priapus and decorated their dwellings with images of his erect penis.
  Priapus is commonly represented nude or holding garden produce in his mantle, which he raises to reveal his tumid penis. A large painting from the House of the Vettii (Pompeii) portrays Priapus weighing his phallus against a sack of coins. The same house contains a fountain statue of Priapus that spurted water from his organ. Such images navigate the humorous interspace between the sacred and the grotesque.
  MODERN ART HISTORIANS HAVE GIVEN VERY LITTLE attention to visual representations of prostitution, especially those involving sexualities and gender constructions that challenge heterosexist norms. To a large extent, the neglect of this important theme is due to the same moralizing attitudes that long limited studies of queer issues of any sort.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Add another sentence about Equally, Priapus's.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Semmelrath, Hannelore. "Der Orpheus Mythos in der Kunst der italienischen Renaissance. " Ph. D. diss. , Cologne, 1994. 
  He was, moreover, the patron of all in need of luck, especially men and women in search of sexual satisfaction. Although he is generally depicted as heterosexual in his tastes, Priapus numbered among his devotees men who were attracted to other men. 
  Equally important was Priapus's ability to ward off the evil eye. He threatened potential evildoers with forcible penetration, a painful experience considering the huge size of his phallus. People commonly wore the phallic amulet of Priapus and decorated their dwellings with images of his erect penis. 
  Priapus is commonly represented nude or holding garden produce in his mantle, which he raises to reveal his tumid penis. A large painting from the House of the Vettii (Pompeii) portrays Priapus weighing his phallus against a sack of coins. The same house contains a fountain statue of Priapus that spurted water from his organ. Such images navigate the humorous interspace between the sacred and the grotesque. 
  MODERN ART HISTORIANS HAVE GIVEN VERY LITTLE attention to visual representations of prostitution, especially those involving sexualities and gender constructions that challenge heterosexist norms. To a large extent, the neglect of this important theme is due to the same moralizing attitudes that long limited studies of queer issues of any sort.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What is the last paragraph?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: ANDRES MARIO ZERVIGON earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University and is now Associate Professor of Art History at California's University of La Verne. He specializes in the art and design of Germany's Weimar period and in the painting of Britain's post–World War II era. Entries: Bacon, Francis; Mammen, Jeanne