Beautiful: Nudes by Marc Baptiste [Hardcover]

Marc Baptiste (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 10, 2001

For centuries, painters have used their brushes to turn female nudes into their most famous masterpieces. Now a New York-based, award-winning photographer does the same in this phenomenal homage to women of color titled Beautiful: Nudes by Marc Baptiste. This gorgeous and moving book is a rich compilation of women baring their bodies and their souls.

From fashion model icons Bethann Hardison and Beverly Johnson to soul singer N'dea Davenport to silver screen goddesses Stacy Dash, Rosario Dawson, and Vanessa Williams, and a host of other contemporary women, Beautiful is a labor of love that captures the essence of all women while simultaneously celebrating cultural roots.

Quotes from the subjects take a candid look at how ethnic women view their bodies and give the readers a provocative glimpse into the world of female body image. This work is alternately passionate and intelligent, inspiring and seductive. It is Beautiful.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[Beautiful is] for all the little brown girls and not so little brown girls who still get taught you ain't enough unless you cut, change or amplify. [It's] to remind us who we are. And it is with gratitude and pride that I step into the sunlight and celebration of women of color, expanding open in the knowledge that God can make nothing ugly or unlovable. God can't make any mistakes!"--Vanessa Williams, actress

"Historically, "Beautiful" is a long overdue labor of love that pours out a molten passion for the beauty of women of color. It is a passion tempered by an earthy, sensible, persuasive intelligence that embraces difference: in age, body type, skin tone, hair texture, and temperament. Photographer Marc Baptiste pays tribute to a glorious spectrum of women. He treasures the drama inherent in pursuing the elusive physical presence of his subjects. Empathetic, subtle, lush, graphic, and generous in range, his pictures compel the viewer to inhabit his multifaceted reverie."--George Pitts, Director of Photography, Vibe Magazine
-- Review

About the Author

Marc Baptiste's cinematic feel and documentary-style photographs have been featured in Vanity Fair, Allure, Vibe, Essence, Esquire, Rolling Stone, Cosmopolitan, German Vogue, and Untold among others. He currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with his wife and twin daughters.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Universe (November 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789306468
• ISBN-13: 978-0789306463
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 0.7 x 12.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #599,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Coffee Table Classic!, April 7, 2003

By 

"raleighsmost" (Raleigh, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beautiful: Nudes by Marc Baptiste (Hardcover)

Wow! This has become one of my favorite pieces of furniture in the Bachelor Pad. You got to pick this one up. It's a popular item amongst the fellas as well as my lady friends and will be sure to stimulate some interesting party talk for your next mixer. Personally speaking, I think that Neomie Lenoire takes the cake. And is that Stacey Dash?? Whoa. She deserves an 'honorable mention' along with Melido Prado (who is this diamond???). After thumbing through this work-of-art after like the 50th time, the small print finally caught my eye. Upon reading these personal dedications, Marc Baptiste's masterpiece took on an even more profound form.

This is an amazing book. Tastefully done. This book is more than just black nudity and erotica, it definitely portrays the African American Woman in an incredible state of ART. BEAUTIFUL!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, November 24, 2001

By 

"queendomcome" (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beautiful: Nudes by Marc Baptiste (Hardcover)

Marc Baptiste's BEAUTIFUL capture's some of the most breathtaking, authentic bodies of women who are no less than goddess. I have given the book as a gift three times over and i am not going to stop with November birthdays! Rosario Dawson to N'Dambi to Lisa Raye(wow) to Rosario's mother (beautiful)-there is a sense of depth and self exuding from each photograph. When I first experiened it, I felt like to was a gift to me and mine from the Universe. It is an amazing, feeling piece of work.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really beautiful, November 23, 2001

By 

"teoa" (Chulavista, California USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beautiful: Nudes by Marc Baptiste (Hardcover)

The book have approximately 65 b/w images and 32 in color,if you are waiting stunning models don't buy this book, but if you want photographies of real women with humanity , buy it. A few photographies are in studio, the most of them are in locations (mainly houses) . There are some images of older women,big women,etc all real and beautiful women. All the photographies contain nudity. And of course the photography is great, except 5 or 7 photographies (that's my opinion).