Physique: Classic Photographs of Naked Athletes (Paperback)

~ Peter Kuhnst (Editor), Walter Borgers (Contributor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A sensual, visually opulent photographic history of the nude athlete.

The history of sports is also a history of nude photography. Sports and games—indeed all forms of physical culture—have always been practiced in a state of at least semi-nudity. Yet never before have the sensual and erotic aspects of sports been celebrated with such enthusiasm as they are today.

Peter Kuhnst's thoughtful selection of images traces the history of the nude athlete in photography from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. From Eadweard Muybridge's motion studies of runners and javelin throwers, through European Naturism, the painterly photography of Pictorialism, and Leni Riefenstahl's work under the Third Reich, to stunning contemporary photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe, Herb Ritts, Bruce Weber, and Annie Leibovitz, the list of photographers is long and varied, and their styles range from traditional to rebellious to humorous to provocative.

This sumptuous and beautifully printed survey is sure to captivate both lovers of fine photography and sports fans.

With 160 photographs in color and duotone by: Yann Arthus-Bertrand • Diana Blok • Lynn Davis • Thomas Eakins • Greg Gorman • André Kertész • Annie Leibovitz • Herbert List • Robert Mapplethorpe • Eadweard Muybridge • Leni Riefenstahl • Herb Ritts • Frank Eugene Smith • Bruce Weber • and many others

About the Author

Peter Kuhnst is Professor of Sports Science at the University of Bochum in Germany and the author of Sports: A Cultural History in the Mirror of Art.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson; illustrated 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.com Sales Rank: #587,989 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 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)

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).

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Visually Appealing, August 8, 2005

By	Paul A. Minafri (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Masculine perfection is a fleeting thing, and fortunately for anyone who decides to look at or own this book, he will find it documented therein. The men are at the zenith of their physical perfection. This book is a real treat!..spoil yourself

9 of 11 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

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.