Physique: Classic Photographs of Naked Athletes [Paperback]

Peter Kuhnst (Editor), Walter Borgers (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 24, 2004

In Physique, Peter Kuhnst traces the history of the nude athlete in photography through distinct historical eras. He begins in the mid-19th century with images from the early years of photography and proceeds to the 'moving' nude as exemplified by Eadweard Muybridge and the painterly photography of Pictorialism. In the second section, covering the first half of the 20th century, Kuhnst focuses on European Naturalism and the creative images of nudes in sport by photographers representing the New Objectivity. The rise of Nazism was accompanied by a tendency toward a heroic view of the nude in photography, which was influenced in part by Italian Futurism; Leni Riefenstahl was a primary exponent of this movement. The third section identifies a number of different photographic styles devoted to tradition, to rebellious protest and to provocative gags, and examines the aesthetic works of such American photographers as Robert Mapplethorpe, Herb Ritts, Bruce Weber and Annie Leibovitz.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Peter Kuhnst is on the university faculty as Professor of Sports Science at the University of Bochum. His post-doctoral dissertation Sports: A Cultural History in the Mirror of Art, published in 1996, earned him considerable critical acclaim.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson; 1St Edition edition (May 24, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 050028475X
• ISBN-13: 978-0500284759
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,480,259 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Portraying Naked Men and Women at the Peak of Good Health, September 3, 2005

By 

D. C. Doran "BodyThinker" (EUP Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Physique: Classic Photographs of Naked Athletes (Paperback)

Contrary to what one might suppose from its title, this lavish portfolio does not compile nude portraits of celebrity sports figures or body-builder enthusiasts. Rather, most of the pictures included portray the health/hygiene and nature spirituality aspects of the multiform clothing-free movement from its earliest days. Together with a highly informative text, the pictures make evident the relevance of the values and practices of naturist/nudist groups for modern dance, film, art, gymnastics, and the recreational conventions of the larger popular culture. The high quality reproductions are printed on heavy photographic-quality paper and bound in an oversize volume by a firm in Switzerland specializing in the publication of art books. Kuhnst is Professor of Sports Science at the University of Bochum (Germany).

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Painful., June 13, 2006

By 

thatrebelcomic "thatrebelcomic" (Ithaca, NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Physique: Classic Photographs of Naked Athletes (Paperback)

I purchased this book hoping for some artistic pictures such as might be suitable for framing. What I found instead is a jumble of photos that are anything but. A completely disappointing collection at best.

45 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can I give it 10 stars?, October 14, 2004

By 

Greg Davis (Austin, Texas - Longhorn Country) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Physique: Classic Photographs of Naked Athletes (Paperback)

As a highly successful college coordinator, I picked up this book because I am frequently around naked athletes. This book confirms my feelings that there is no better sight than a naked athlete, fresh off the battlefield of competetion and wet from a recent shower.

I'm mindful, though, that I should expand my expertise from football to other sports. I mean, did you see the unit on that guy who's the pole vaulter? Mamacita!