The Sexual Perspective: Homosexuality and Art in the Last 100 Years in the West [Paperback]

Emmanuel Cooper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1994 | ISBN-10: 0415111013 | ISBN-13: 978-0415111010 | Edition: Second

First published in 1986 to wide critical acclaim, The Sexual Perspective broke new ground by bringing together and discussing the painting, sculpture and photography of artists who were gay/lesbian/queer/bisexual. The lavishly illustrated new edition discusses the greater lesbian visibility within the visual arts and artist's responses to the AIDS epidemic. Emmanuel Cooper places the art in its artistic, social and legal contexts, making it a vital contribution to current debates about art, gender, identity and sexuality.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`A coherent and tight art history...truly groundbreaking.' - - City Limits

`A treasure trove of gay artists and artworks.' - - The Philadelphia Enquirer

`A remarkable achievement, and another milestone in gay cultural history.' - - Gay Times

`All future attempts to come to terms with modern gay culture will have to consult what amounts to an encyclopedia of gay art history' - - The Advocate

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; Second edition (October 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415111013
• ISBN-13: 978-0415111010
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #267,489 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A serious consideration of the subject, January 15, 2009

By 

Benjamin (UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Sexual Perspective. Homosexuality and Art in the Last 100 Years in the West (Paperback)

The Sexual Perspective - Homosexuality and the Last 100 Years in the West. Published 1986. ISBN 0710096356 Paperback 9" x 6" (22.6 cm x 15.2 cm)

This book has been revised and updated and republished in 1994; the review here is for the original publication of 1986. (Beware that Amazon often link different editions of a book.)

Emanuel Cooper provides a survey of the work of many artists who according to the book cover "were or are homosexual, or had significant homosexual experiences". Although concentrating on the last 100 years by way of introduction he looks back to the Renaissance. He considers such aspects as sexual aesthesis, the sexual code, and looks at influences such as the Greeks, and at changing legal and social attitudes. In his discussions Cooper considers both the lives of the artists and their work. The book includes notes and an index but there is no bibliography.

The list of artists includes: Donatello, Botticelli, da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, John Singer Sargent, Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer, Gustave Moreau, Aubrey Beardsley, Gwen John, Charles Demuth, Marsden Hartley, Jean Cocteau, Christopher Wood, Duncan Grant, Tamara de Lempicka, Edward Burra, Paul Cadmus, John Minton, Keith Vaughan, Francis Bacon, Quaintance, Andy Warhol, Michael Leonard, Philip Core, Delmas Howe, Gilbert and George and many more.

The book is illustrated throughout with 130 monochrome images. It is a serious consideration of the subject; the survey covers a wide range including a few sculptors, photographers such as Mapplethorpe as well as those one might consider illustrators such as Tom of Finland. It also includes some such as Henry Scott Tuke who not all would agree fit the stated aims of the book, scholars of Tuke questioning any homosexual inclinations. Some may question on similar grounds the inclusion of other artists here, but that in no way devalues their art. Conversely there is no mention of for example Fairfield Porter, who while married carried on a long term relationship with poet James Schuyler. There are a couple of chapters on lesbian art (the revised 1994 edition expands on this and also includes responses to AIDS).

To describe this book as the publishers do as "lavishingly and seductively illustrated" is something of an exaggeration, the pictures can at best described as informative and the rarity value of some makes them worthwhile, but the book is not large in format and few of the images attain to full page, and many of them in monochrome appear decidedly dull. But they are enough maybe to encourage the reader to search out decent reproductions.

16 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars As far as text books go...!, June 1, 2000

By 

Elise (Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sexual Perspective: Homosexuality and Art in the Last 100 Years in the West (Paperback)

If you're ever going to buy a book just for the pictures, look no further. Not only does "The Sexual Perspective" provide an open and thorough history of homoerotic art of the last few centuries, but it continues to fascinate the reader with alternative views of conventional and popular art. As for the pictures, it's certainly not porn, but I'd advise you to keep it on the top shelf of the bookcase. This is not for grade-school eyes. As far as textbook-style reads go, it's definitely a keeper.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A bit dry, but well-researched, June 24, 2010

By 

John Capps (Gastonia, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Sexual Perspective: Homosexuality and Art in the Last 100 Years in the West (Paperback)

This is a history of homosexuality in western art for last 100 years, according to the subtitle. Fortunately, it doesn't strictly stick to that limit because the first chapter also covers such Renaissance masters as Caravaggio and Michelango. The text I found rather academic and dry,and was disappointed that none of the illustrations (except the very fetching front cover and another on the back) are in color however there are a great number of them and some are graphic. I certainly learned a lot from this book, being a self-taught artist and never having studied formally, however I wish the writing had been a bit more lively.