From the art of the Greeks to that of Renoir and Moore, this work surveys the ever-changing fashions in what has constituted the ideal nude as a basis of humanist form.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
The simple and often quite beautiful statement of a man of letters . . . [in] a book which is as much a pleasure to read as it is informative and provocative. (The New York Times )
A feminist critique of a male (and Western) view of the Tantric tradition [and also] a balanced reassessment of a tradition too long misunderstood. (Parabola )
Probably no one else alive today writes about art with Sir Kenneth's precise combination of intelligence, urbanity, and erudition. . . . This is an important book and a fascinating one, and the illustrations do much to illuminate it. (The New Yorker )
A feminist critique of a male (and Western) view of the Tantric tradition [and also] a balanced reassessment of a tradition too long misunderstood. (Parabola )
Probably no one else alive today writes about art with Sir Kenneth's precise combination of intelligence, urbanity, and erudition. . . . This is an important book and a fascinating one, and the illustrations do much to illuminate it. (The New Yorker )
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32 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
THE NUDE: A STUDY IN IDEAL FORM, a classic investigation and summation, is one of scholar/historian Kenneth Clark's finest works - and that is high powered praise in view of all of his contributions to literature. Few writers inform with such dignity of prose, style, and warmth as Clark and THE NUDE is no exception. This handsome and illuminating volume dates back to 1953 and is based on six lectures given by Clark for the A. W. Mellon Lectures in Fine Arts at the National Gallery in Washington, DC. Clark opens his book with a lyrical treatise "The Naked and the Nude" in which he not only introduces his manner of examining the use of the nude as pictorial image for artists from ancient Greece through the Renaissance to the present, he wraps his scholarly information with personalized psychosocial commentary that is uniquely his own and allows the reader to settle in for the exploration ahead.
Approaching first the male nude ["Apollo"] from the Kouros of 600 BC through the vases, sculptures, reliefs, and paintings from all periods of history, he then moves to two views of the female nude - Venus I [the celestial female form] and Venus II [the woman of earthly form]. Having laid the foundation for the use of the nude in general, he then addresses the artistic emotions of Pathos, Energy, and Ecstasy in a manner that is near novel-like in reading. He closes his lecture series/book with a thought-provoking discussion of how man has viewed the nude through history, vacillating between laud and honor to the depiction of guilt, of the human stain. And finally he demonstrates in "The Nude As An End In Itself" both the occult appropriation of repeated forms and the acknowledged plagiarism of the nude studies from the earliest to the current. The Book is generously illustrated but in the paperback version available the illustrations are in black and white only. This profound and warmly human book is a must for artists and art lovers alike. Highly Recommended. And as is so often the case, Amazon.com does its readers a great service by finding ways to make books of such importance as this available to the public.
Approaching first the male nude ["Apollo"] from the Kouros of 600 BC through the vases, sculptures, reliefs, and paintings from all periods of history, he then moves to two views of the female nude - Venus I [the celestial female form] and Venus II [the woman of earthly form]. Having laid the foundation for the use of the nude in general, he then addresses the artistic emotions of Pathos, Energy, and Ecstasy in a manner that is near novel-like in reading. He closes his lecture series/book with a thought-provoking discussion of how man has viewed the nude through history, vacillating between laud and honor to the depiction of guilt, of the human stain. And finally he demonstrates in "The Nude As An End In Itself" both the occult appropriation of repeated forms and the acknowledged plagiarism of the nude studies from the earliest to the current. The Book is generously illustrated but in the paperback version available the illustrations are in black and white only. This profound and warmly human book is a must for artists and art lovers alike. Highly Recommended. And as is so often the case, Amazon.com does its readers a great service by finding ways to make books of such importance as this available to the public.
19 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Whether you are a student of the arts, religion, history, or life you will learn from this work. Mr. Clark speaks with the authority of an educated and thoughtful expert on the subject and with the voice of a formidable author as well.
His work is as densely packed with meaning as you might expect to find in the writings of Reinhold Niehbur yet is possessed of a wonderfully literary mask. The writing is so well done, one might accidently read right over the meaning in the haste of seeing what will come next.
If you're the highlighting or underlining type, I'd recommend saving such marking for the second read as more of the true significance bubbles to the fore. Put aside your expectations of a "typical" art history text and prepare for an incredible enlightenment.
Enjoy!
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
THE NUDE: A STUDY IN IDEAL FORM is one of scholar/historian Kenneth Clark's finest works - and that is high powered praise in view of all of his contributions to literature. Few writers inform with such dignity of prose, style, and warmth as Clark and THE NUDE is no exception. This handsome and illuminating volume dates back to 1953 and is based on six lectures given by Clark for the A. W. Mellon Lectures in Fine Arts at the National Gallery in Washington, DC. Clark opens his book with a lyrical treatise "The Naked and the Nude" in which he not only introduces his manner of examining the use of the nude as pictorial image for artists from ancient Greece through the Renaissance to the present, he wraps his scholarly information with personalized psychosocial commentary that is uniquely his own and allows the reader to settle in for the exploration ahead.
Approaching first the male nude ["Apollo"] from the Kouros of 600 BC through the vases, sculptures, reliefs, and paintings from all periods of history, he then moves to two views of the female nude - Venus I [the celestial female form] and Venus II [the woman of earthly form]. Having laid the foundation for the use of the nude in general, he then addresses the artistic emotions of Pathos, Energy, and Ecstasy in a manner that is near novel-like in reading. He closes his lecture series/book with a thought-provoking discussion of how man has viewed the nude through history, vacillating between laud and honor to the depiction of guilt, of the human stain. And finally he demonstrates in "The Nude As An End In Itself" both the occult appropriation of repeated forms and the acknowledged plagiarism of the nude studies from the earliest to the current. The Book is generously illustrated but in the paperback version available the illustrations are in black and white only. This profound and warmly human book is a must for artists and art lovers alike. Highly Recommended
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
the finest book on the subject
There is very little one can add in review of this book . It is a must for any student or amateur of the arts . Read more
Published 21 days ago by Hashima Shata
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rare topic and really comprehensive
This book is a beautiful book and a very nice read. It is so comprehensive and one of the very few books that tackles this subject so well!
Published 1 month ago by RYZ
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic
This is primarily a history/philosophy book with lots of implications for the practicing artist.
A must have for every library. Read more
A must have for every library. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Amber
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic!
This edition does not contain good reproductions ; but the views of Sir Clark are still relevant. With a new emphasis in the figure in the current art circles, it is helpful to... Read more
Published 3 months ago by jst-bone
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Art History Book
I read this book when I was in college and read it again forty years later and made six Power Points with most of the images mentioned in the book. And taught a class on it. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Louise O. Flax
5.0 out of 5 stars
FABULOUS
It is my opinion that Kenneth Clark's THE NUDE should be in every artist's library. If I taught figure drawing, this would be required reading for my students. Read more
Published 10 months ago by manndrake
4.0 out of 5 stars
Essential reading material
It seems like nearly everyone who has an opinion about nude art has read this seminal work. Sir Clark's arguments are well-formed, thought-provoking, and amply legitimized by... Read more
Published on April 21, 2008 by Amul Kumar
5.0 out of 5 stars
Throws light into the corners of a subject often misplaced.
Would you want to read someones recollections on art gone by, I doubt it. Perhaps you want to hear the love-less dissection of art by an academic, probably not. Read more
Published on April 15, 1998 by shark.davies@mcione.com
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