Madonna Nude 1979 [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Martin H. M. Schreiber (Photographer), Martin H. M. Schreiber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2002

From the foreword: `On 12 February, 1979, a quiet, shy young woman walked into my studio for the first time. She was the nude model for my photography class that evening. She said that she was a dancer, her name was Madonna Ciccone. She was not only a welcome relief from the average lumpy, but sweet, art-class model, but she was also one of the loveliest models I ever photographed. This book is a celebration of the human form, a dedication to an innocent, determined young woman and to all figure models. It is a tribute to Madonna and anyone like her who aspires and through ambition, hard work and perseverance, achieves their goal. Bravo.`

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, Martin Schreiber immigrated to the United States in 1952. During the turbulent '60's, he dropped out of college and fatefully joined the Army, where he went to photo lab school. Taking up photography full time after the service, Schreiber went on to teach and lecture at the New School/Parsons in New York. Returning to his European roots, he presently lives outside Paris. His work has been published internationally in every major magazine and has been the subject of over 40 group and solo exhibitions. His latest book is Last Of A Breed, a photo essay on the western cowboys of America.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Longwind Publishing; illustrated edition edition (March 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892695111
• ISBN-13: 978-1892695116
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,558,393 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very tasteful look at early Madonna, July 11, 2003

By 

Daniel J. Hamlow (Narita, Japan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Madonna (Taschen's photobooks) (Paperback)

In the foreword, Martin Schreiber, then a struggling photographer in NYC, describes a young model who entered his studio on 12 February 1979 and for a short time, posed for him. That model was Madonna Louise Ciccone. Some of those photos ended up in the September 85 Playboy, after Like A Virgin exploded over the face of pop. Schreiber describes this book as "a celebration of the human form, a dedication to an innocent, determined young woman, and to all figure models." Given the photos that were shot, I'd concur. $30 for three hours, as the consent form signed by her says. Well, that three hour session yielded some really tasteful b&w photography, the highlights of which are blown up for this book. The last pages show the safety film of the complete sessions.

This particular form, done in various lighting and shadows, is quite appealing and artful. One full frontal shot of her, spanning 8 through 8A on the safety film, with the head cut off, would make an excellent Greek or Roman statue.

The frontal sphinx-like crouching shots of her are nice. A striped cat is crouched inbetween her arms. The next shot, the cat is gone, she is in the same position, and there's a view of her pubic hair in shadows. The cat comes out in two other shots of her, including the book cover photo. BTW, Madonna isn't smiling in these shots but maintains a dignified expression throughout.

Think about it though. These were taken in 1979, years before Like A Virgin, MTV, Sean Penn, Blonde Ambition, Evita, and the bogus British accent she has now affected. Often times, early activities by an actor or singer (think Sylvester Stallone) reveals some embarassing moments, but this isn't one of them, as the Certain Sacrifice movie was. No, years from now, Madonna can look through these pictures and remember the simpler times. P.S. I wonder if the cat got an autographed copy of Like A Virgin from her.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning, November 27, 2002

By 

Michael Allen (over here!) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Madonna Nude 1979 (Hardcover)

When she was younger, Madonna had a very natural beauty that was accentuated by her well-endowed figure. This book features some outstanding portraits of her in casual but very erotic poses; her healthy, hirsute body provides a welcome contrast to the skinny smoothness that seems to be the current feminine ideal. Sure, the collection probably never would have been published had Madonna not become the star she is today, but her celebrity status is precisely what makes the book so intriguing. I would definitely recommend it to Madonna fans, but it really belongs on the bookshelf of anyone who enjoys quality, tasteful nude photography.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not an indispensable book on Madonna, August 25, 2005

By 

G. Iaksetich - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Madonna Nude 1979 (Hardcover)

Those who expect a significant collection of images of Madonna will be disappointed. First of all the book contains a very limited number of pictures, not more than 12 or 13 all in all. Many of the pictures are just the same image cropped differently. The central page is just the same image flipped 180 degrees. The image quality is rather poor and most of them are just show torsos and pubic hair with no face. Lighting and composition are ordinary, and so are the props used. The images that Playboy published in 1985 (which were far better) are not included here. The only interesting thing (sort of, for those who like these things) is the photo of the model release form signed by Madonna. Although the book doesn't cost much, it is a total waste and you'd better save it for soomething else.