Nude Photography: Masterpieces from the Past 150 Years [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

by Peter-Cornell Richter (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
This impeccable collection of mostly black-and-white masterworks from the last 150 years includes many familiar images, from Edward Steichen's Little Round Mirror, in which a soft-focus model strikes the classic contrapposto pose, to Man Ray's Violon d'Ingres, the long female seen from behind with that instrument's curve gracefully drawn on her back. But so many of the nudes of the last 150 years that are indelibly imprinted in our memories are missing: Weston's studies of his young son, or Imogen Cunningham's self-portraits in old age, or Brassaï's titillating shots of French prostitutes' derrieres, or Robert Mapplethorpe's black men. Rather than an inclusive compendium, this book is a kind of dreamy boy's book from another era, a semi-innocent collection of (mainly) breasts that any intelligent, sentimental male with an eye for feminine pulchritude will enjoy. With the exception of a little light bondage in David Levinthal's Desire series or a characteristically kinky moment from Duane Michals, this is almost a book you could tuck into the family art library.

Peter-Cornell Richter supplies a poetic description of each picture, deftly inserting a great deal of historical information in an affectionate, confidential tone. There are many memorable photographs, but one of the most illuminating is of the Modigliani model Jeanne Hébuterne. Her reclining body is the central subject of the shadowy image, but her face is arresting for its pronounced curves, tiny chin, and elongated nose and cheeks. Readers who have never seen her before will be struck at the reality Modigliani simply captured, when all along we thought he was working in the realm of abstract distortion.

A note: Of the 62 photographers represented here, 90 percent are men; of the 62 models used, 98 percent are women. --Peggy Moorman

Product Description
The dawn of the daguerrotype 150 years ago has brought not only the birth of photography, but a renaissance in the study of nudes as well. This book tells the story of nudes in the photographic medium, from the world's most important photographers. Starting with the pioneer Daguerre, whose 1839 photograph of a nude sculpture set artistic precedent, this book spans the decades to early twentieth century greats such as Alfred Steiglitz, Man Ray and Brassai, to contemporary photographers such as Robert Mapplethorpe, David Levinthal and Duane Michals. The volume is a tour through a photographic gallery which treats the viewer to aspects of female beauty from the perspective of the camera lens. Set against a historical background, this book contrasts the art of taking pictures and its technological innovations with the academic tradition of painting nudes. The appearance of a new means of capturing the nude, the camera, introduced an entirely new dimension to the fine arts. The volume highlights the once fervent competition between the two media of photography and painting, with refinements in technology allowing the newer art form to come into its own. Each photograph is accompanied by a short essay that explains its story and interprets the photographic subjects. Biographical entries summarize the information belonging to each work.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Prestel Publishing; illustrated edition edition (October 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3791319981
• ISBN-13: 978-3791319988
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,820,351 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but not "intriguing", May 8, 2000

By	Sarah K. Stiteler "Kate Stiteler" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is an interesting and in-depth look at nude photography from 1855 until 1996. Each photograph has a page-long narrative about both the photograph and the photographer. Many of the photographs are accompanied by appropriate but unrelated quotes that add to understanding of the picture. Though this book was quite interesting and I believe a MUST for anyone studying photography in general, nude photography specifically, it's not as intriguing as I'd ordinarily like. I don't find that I'm as drawn into the pictures as I am with some books of photography, such as Nan Goldin's _Ballad of Sexual Dependency_. In spite of the lack of intrigue, this is still a well-done and interesting book, and certainly a perfect gift for anyone interested in photography.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Imaginative Collection of Evolving Techniques, February 6, 2001

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

This book uses the female nude as a subject to show the various ways that photographic technique has enhanced this art form. There is one photograph per photographer, accompanied by a page-long essay of background information about the image, photographer, and model. Think of this as seminar material for considering what the viewpoint of the photographer adds to the expression of the human figure. The work is also chosen to help emphasize the differences between drawing and painting, and photography. Anyone who wants to get ideas for their own photography will find this book helpful in extending their understanding of the choices available.

Before going further, let me note that many of these images would be "R" rated if found in a motion picture. Appropriate care should be taken in homes with children. The nudity is extremely tasteful in all cases, and often quite modestly portrayed. For those who are looking for prurient examples of female nudes, look elsewhere.

The opening essays were very interesting for exploring the diffidence with which photographers and models initially approached nude photography. Although there was a long tradition of the female nude in art, the identities of the models was almost always hidden by changing the face of the sitter. So although society ladies were often involved, no one knew for sure. Photography made nudity more bare, because it was harder to protect identity. So poor women mostly were the initial models. Many photographers went to extreme lengths to retain that anonymity, including the use of masks, turning the face away from the camera, and simply using the torso.

I found the varieties of techniques to be quite impressive throughout the book. I discerned no repetition, and the essays expanded my understanding of the examples. The different ways that light and natural elements can be combined are most impressive. In the later images, the model's personality begins to play a role and I thought that worked better than the more abstract works.

My main complaint about the book is that the page size should have been larger. In this page size, the images look like examples rather than the works of art that they are. I graded the book down one star for this layout weakness.

Here are my favorites in the book (with the photographer listed first):

Heinrich Zille -- Untitled (Pose in Front of Mirror) 1901

Clarence H. White -- Torso 1906

Alfred Stieglitz -- Portrait of R. 1923

Rudolf Koppitz -- Composition 1925

Edmund Kesting -- Untitled c. 1930

Man Ray -- Le Violin d'Ingres 1924

Lucien Lorelle -- L'artiste a le libre choix de son oeuvre 1929

Frantisek Drtikol -- Portrait 1932 (1924)

Josef Breitenbach -- J. Greus and Dr. Riegler 1933

Gotthard Shuh -- Sarna at the Well 1939

Andreas Feininger -- Nude (solarization) 1939

Josef Sudek -- Nude 1951-1954

Wynn Bullock -- Woman behind Cobwebbed Window 1955

Ruth Bernhard -- In the Box 1962

Jeanloup Sieff -- Kim 1975

Gunter Rossler -- Jutta K. 1974

Greg Gorman -- Iman 1988

Nobuyoshi Araki -- Untitled (Young Lady with Lizards) 1995

After you have finished thinking about what you have seen, I suggest that you do an experiment. Blindfold yourself, and sit quietly in your chair for two hours (you can set an alarm so you'll know when you are done). During this time, pay attention to your nonseeing senses in order to accentuate other ways of experiencing what is around you. This exercise can help "open your eyes" to other subleties of observation, much in the way this book will help you "see" the internal reality of the objects around you in new ways.

Overcome the limitations of your first impressions to discern more useful levels of reality!

3.0 out of 5 stars Great photos, asinine commentary., December 28, 2003

By A Customer

I discovered this book in a museum giftshop and thought it provided a great history of nude photography. There are some especially neat late 19th/early 20th-century photographs in it. But the editor - Peter Cornell Richter - seems to be a frustrated poet whose notes on each photo range from the merely uninformed and uninforming to the thoroughly insipid. And he is clearly more interested in naked women than photography. So, the reader, hoping to learn something about the phtographer and the background of the photo, is instead forced to read lines like "Little elves are dancing from the wallpaper down onto her bottom, which she is clearly pleased to be showing us" and "She started the dance this morning as a girl, but will end it as a woman." Yeesh. The photographs are worth the price of the book, but you'd think the publisher could have found a photography critic - rather than an amateur pornographer - to pen the notes.