Customer Reviews

The Body: Photographs of the Human Form

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William Ewing has assembled a truly remarkable collection of photographs in his book, _The Body_. In twelve sections, ranging from idols to eros, he offers expert narration to photographic works that are sometimes stunning, sometimes shocking. There are pieces within this book that are difficult to look at, because they depict something we have been socialized to try to ignore or overlook (such as those showing birth defects, much physical scarring, or disease,) but each plate has something to say if we look closely (even if it only says, simply, "Behold.")

There are deeply-moving photographs, such as one from Lee Miller, which depicts prisoners at Buchenwald standing next to a large pile of human bones in 1945, and there are also arousing photos, like the erotic pieces from the twenties. Honesty is a frequent theme; several photographers have totally candid, unashamed self-portraits here that could be seen by some as unflattering, but still, here they are - honest.

Truly a humbling book in many ways; the photographic genius represented here is simply amazing, and the absolute humanity of us all is completely laid bare, the trappings of civilization and manners stripped away.

Powerful, sometimes strange, and very enjoyable.

You already know it's great. The promotional shot for the 1995 movie "Showgirls" is a blatant imitation of this book's cover photo (Tono Stano's 1992 "Sense"). If imitation is the sincerest flattery, that's a pretty high-profile compliment.

Despite its title, this is more a study of photography than of the body itself. Ewing reproduces images from the last 150 years, in many technologies, for many purposes. There are medical and microscopic pictures, pictures to titillate, and "freak show" shots. There are the pseudoscientific Victorian images of habitually nude Africans - often, racially based excuses for some drawing-room smut. There are modern abstractions, utterly literal but somtimes so baffling in composition that I can't figure out what I'm looking at.

The images are individually captivating, and even stronger in this well-made collection. About half the bulk of the book is explanatory text, however. I have to admit that I skipped most of that. The few fragments I did read added very little to my understanding or appreciation of the photos, so I let it go by me.

This is a beautiful celebration of the human figure. More than that, it's a catalog, by means of example, of the many purposes and styles that figure photography has had during its relatively brief history. "The Body" will be a real asset to any collection of figure photography.

//wiredweird

This book is a great resource for artists interested working with the figure. The book's format and images provide a rich visual refence to pull from. It is great to see an mass marketed book which presents the human body in all its shapes, sizes and textures.

While I am a photographer, I have not photographed nudes. Were I to do so, I would study this book several times. This book presents both a variety of styles of photography, and a variety of bodies. Not everyone is a model. One can ultimately see the photographic possibilities for anyone willing to expose themselves to the camera.

Like most buyers of this book, I was probably attracted to the book by the beautiful black and white image of a semi-nude woman emerging from behind the curtains of what might have been old-fashioned Burlesque Show. Little was actually revealed, but much is promised. The book was much more than a 150 year-history of nude photography however. It included images of the human body as shown in various fields of photography including medical, crime, sports, fashion and dance. It's strangely bizarre, morbid, repelling and fascinating all at once. The book includes the work of a "Who's Who" of the world's most famous photographers as well as rare photos that this reviewer had never seen or even dreamed existed. The human body has always the chief subject of human curiosity.
To mention a few of the surprises there is an anonymous full-length 1935 portrait of Dictator Benito Mussolini shirtless and preparing to go skiing in the Alps. "Anatomy of a Pinup postcard from 1991 by Zorro and Annie Sprinkle" is another sample of an offbeat photograph. Progress Studio is represented by four 1925 studio portraits featuring the pretty Hilton Siamese Twins of Texas, playing tennis, swimming, dancing and flirting with a normal set of male twins. There are plenty of pictures of circus freaks to please even the most curious "Ripple's Believe It Or Not" or "Guinness Book of Record" readers. There is an Albumen print of an 1890 photo of Fijian Cannibals by T. Andrew. This picture was probably a set up, but the image of the headhunters dragging their dead victims toward a smoky fire is enough to give anyone nightmares.
The most memorable, or most forgettable photograph, depending on your viewpoint, in the book is by Felice Beato. "Crucifixion of the Male Servant Sokichi Who Killed the Son of His Boss and Was Therefore Crucified. He Was 25 Years Old. 1865-68." The Albumen Print is disturbing beyond description. No matter how many images the viewer has seen of Jesus on the Cross, a picture of a real crucification is much more shocking. It doesn't help that the victim looked like a young teenager. He was obviously horribly tortured either before he was tied to the double cross with his legs also spread wide so as not to provide his body any support and so his executioners had better access to further torture him in unspeakable ways.
That's the most shocking of the pictures, but the section on medical deformities isn't much better. Some of them reminded me of Paul Fusco's pictures of the deformed child victims of the recent Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Unlike the Fusco pictures, many of these didn't show Paul's sensitivity.
This is a goldmine of photographs for the avid collector of fine art photographs. While I've described the most shocking photo subjects in the book, they are only a small part of the nearly 400-page collection of Black & White photographs. It introduces the reader to many relatively unknown photographers while at the same time showing the work of the acknowledged masters of photography. It's difficult to tell whose work was better or more memorable. The author did a fine job.

I have hundreds of books on photography, but every so often, I come across one that becomes a valuable reference for so many reasons. This book is a beautiful collection from a huge array of artists and periods about one subject - the body. If you are interested in this book, I would suggest: "Love lust and desire" from the same publishing company. High quality at a very reasonable price.

Worth having in the library. I read through it and it was OK.

This book is a wonderful exploration of the human body by using photographs. Also, Ewing's writing gives great background inforamtion regarding this history of nudes, photography, etc. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has an interest in art, especially photography and nudes.

ewing has put together a nice history of photographing the body. he divided the book into eleven sections, though most of the photographs could easily be placed in other sections. ewing has eclectic taste, there are works that you almost feel shouldn't be here, and photographers that are severely under represented. but still, all in all, a great book for any art lover.