Customer Reviews

Male Nudes (Icons)

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In 1998 David Leddick’s “The Male Nude” was published by Taschen. Now in this edition called “Male Nudes” Taschen has published a much smaller version of the original book with the very best and most impressive images in a wonderful and very affordable paperback. I was very impressed with this edition. It’s a great introduction to the history of male nude photography from the 1850’s to the present day. It’s a fascinating look at the changes the male nude has experienced in body type, structure, and sexual content over the past 100 years. There are images from almost every photographer you can think of during this time period. The quality & printing of this book is excellent.

This is a must for anyone who appreciates & admires the male body and wishes to know the history of male nude photography. Make sure you get a copy of this before it’s too late. Highly Recommended!

Nobody does a better job of collecting and publishing nude photographs of men than David Leddick. He adds here another fine volume to his several books on the subject. Leddick begins with photographers in the Nineteenth Century and continues to the present in chronological order. All the photographers you expect are here as well as some of the photographs we have seen many times before. (I'm thinking now of Mapplethorpe's infamous "Man in Polyester Suit.") In addition to Mapplethorpe, there's Thomas Eakins, Wilhelm von Gloeden, Cecil Beaton, George Platt Lynes-- for my money nobody surpasses him-- Bob Mizer, Horst and Herb Ritts. But Leddick also includes David Hockney, Duane Michaels, the incomparable Imogene Cunningham and one of my favorite photographs by one of my favorite photographers, a shot of Helmut Berger by Helmut Newton. I was also glad to see Leddick include the work of Nan Goldin and Pierre et Gilles, two unique photographers whom I admire tremendously. There's a good chance you'll find your favorite photographer included here and become acquainted as well with artists you didn't previously know.

This little volume is beautifully printed and extremely well-priced.

I must agree with the reviewer who stated that this book had a gay tilt to it. That's perfectly fine if that's your cup of tea, and I'm glad that gay men have books such as these to choose from. I prefer something with just photos of nude men by themselves. I guess I'll continue my search for such a book. I'm disappointed that there is so little out there for heterosexual women like me.

How could it not be, right? It's called 'Male Nude'. Well there are many nude men within its pages, but nothing I found spectacular or new in approach. It seemed this book was done with a gay tilt to it as well, which is fine if that's what one is looking for. Several of the images are of men together, hugging, admiring, etc. I hoped for more nudes on their own, instead of images provoking what happened before or what will happen after the photo was taken. Regardless, there are some nice physiques here, and the book is laid out in chronological order from the 1900s up to present day. The past pictures were intersting to see, but this isn't something I keep precious in my collection.