Nudity: The Beauty of the Human Body in Art
Needing some respite from the harsh realities of what has been going on in Israel this week, my husband suggested that we both do something calmning for our souls. He suggested we go to an art museum, knowing how much I appreciate beauty and art.
Today, while my husband and I were at an art museum, we were both looking at many European paintings, from as early as the 1700s until the 21st century. Let me begin by saying that I love art museums, and have been fortunate to visit some of the most beautiful ones in the world, with perhaps the exception of the Hermitage in Russia. When we were in Paris alone, we went to 5 museums in 5 days. Having been to many of the major art museums around the world, including those in Los Angeles, New York, the Louve, Musee de Orsee, the Prado, and Victoria and Albert in England, the Rodin, and on and on, I began to think about the nude body in art and how it has been used throughout the years.
As someone who loves art, and the nude body as a beautiful expression of the artistic mind and hand, I confess to owning several nude paintings and sculptures. Along with my collection of Judaica, hangs some very sensual pieces of art, particularly of the female nude body.
Something that struck me, as I looked at many of these works from Dutch, French, Italian and Flemish masters, were that many used the nude body as an expression of beauty in art. Think about the majestic fully nude body of David, penis and all, and some of the more illustratratious paintings of women, usually pictured with their breasts exposed as an example of their shear beauty, and as a mark of their femininity. Think about Ingress, and those paintings of voluptuous women, or the American artist Thomas Eakins, or even the American photographer, Man Ray, and the manner in which he used the naked body to define his art. More often than not, nudity was considered to be a form of beautiful expression, and for many years, other than perhaps the Church or synagogue art, was the norm rather than the extreme in art.
Last night, I was watching a re-run of the movie, Basic Instinct with Sharon Stone. Not discounting the drama, intensity and boldness of that movie, which I truly love, it made me think about the way in which the nude body is portrayed today as an art form. Mostly, when we see art with a nude body today, it is not so much the subject of beauty, sensuality, or natural expression. It is associated with sex or sexuality in some form or another, including but not limited to pornography.
Here is the question of the day: Has nudity as an art form become lost or diminished over time? Has the human body has a form of sensual expression, beauty, and admiration been replaced in art, and is understood today in purely sexual terms? Have we become more or less modest about the expression of the naked body over time?
Noted is that most of my comments and observations pertain to Western and/or European art.
If there are exceptions, any information would be most appreciated.
Thank you for your minds.
Today, while my husband and I were at an art museum, we were both looking at many European paintings, from as early as the 1700s until the 21st century. Let me begin by saying that I love art museums, and have been fortunate to visit some of the most beautiful ones in the world, with perhaps the exception of the Hermitage in Russia. When we were in Paris alone, we went to 5 museums in 5 days. Having been to many of the major art museums around the world, including those in Los Angeles, New York, the Louve, Musee de Orsee, the Prado, and Victoria and Albert in England, the Rodin, and on and on, I began to think about the nude body in art and how it has been used throughout the years.
As someone who loves art, and the nude body as a beautiful expression of the artistic mind and hand, I confess to owning several nude paintings and sculptures. Along with my collection of Judaica, hangs some very sensual pieces of art, particularly of the female nude body.
Something that struck me, as I looked at many of these works from Dutch, French, Italian and Flemish masters, were that many used the nude body as an expression of beauty in art. Think about the majestic fully nude body of David, penis and all, and some of the more illustratratious paintings of women, usually pictured with their breasts exposed as an example of their shear beauty, and as a mark of their femininity. Think about Ingress, and those paintings of voluptuous women, or the American artist Thomas Eakins, or even the American photographer, Man Ray, and the manner in which he used the naked body to define his art. More often than not, nudity was considered to be a form of beautiful expression, and for many years, other than perhaps the Church or synagogue art, was the norm rather than the extreme in art.
Last night, I was watching a re-run of the movie, Basic Instinct with Sharon Stone. Not discounting the drama, intensity and boldness of that movie, which I truly love, it made me think about the way in which the nude body is portrayed today as an art form. Mostly, when we see art with a nude body today, it is not so much the subject of beauty, sensuality, or natural expression. It is associated with sex or sexuality in some form or another, including but not limited to pornography.
Here is the question of the day: Has nudity as an art form become lost or diminished over time? Has the human body has a form of sensual expression, beauty, and admiration been replaced in art, and is understood today in purely sexual terms? Have we become more or less modest about the expression of the naked body over time?
Noted is that most of my comments and observations pertain to Western and/or European art.
If there are exceptions, any information would be most appreciated.
Thank you for your minds.
22 Comments:
yes
nudity today is pornography
I'm nude most of the time I'm at home. If I've been out all day, I can't wait to shed my clothes and let my body breathe (but not so much in the winter...it's cold here in NH and heating oil is expensive).
Wolf is shy and modest and it's take me years to get him to be comfortable with *my* naked body. Getting him to walk around the house without clothes has been an uphill battle, although I'm making progress.
I think nude are the most beautiful artform. I long for the days when we have the wall space for us to buy art and you can be assured that nudes will be a large part of my "collection."
I don't understand the shame associated with nudity. Americans are so uptight about being naked that we express it only in sexual nudity. It's just so juvenile the way we see out natural selves, which is why all we ever see is SEX SEX SEX--kinda like a teenage boy who sneeks his dad's Playb*y.
Niobium,
I definitely think men few a naked body much differently from a woman. When it comes to their own, more often than not, you will find them exhibiting modesty or some shyness about it as well.
Where I have no problem going into a jaccuzzi naked, my husband, on the other hand, seems to wear enough clothing for the two of us.
He also is much more modest about his body, it seems.
If you look at classical paintings, there are not as many of naked men. Most of the naked male form are sculptures not oils or acrylics.
Interesting point you have raised. (no puns intended here.)
Yes, I think so. When I look at older pieces of art (and some more recent), I see nudity used more as an expression of individuality; today I see it used in the service of conformity, though I wouldn't call the movies, TV shows, magazines, and other outlets I have in mind here "art." To be sure, there are examples of ancient art that were meant to display the "quintessential" man or woman, that era's and culture's idea of physical perfection. But not so much as today. Every nude body seems to look the same, perhaps because the "artist" is the same plastic surgeon slicing and stuffing all of them. Who knows? Anyway, it's sad when the female nude is constructed to resemble a blow-up doll rather than sexual artifacts like blow-up dolls being constructed to resemble nude humans.
As long as art schools still encourage people of all shapes and sizes to be nude models, though, I have faith that real artists will continue to honor the individual nude and resist the temptation to encourage conformity with their work.
I hear ya, Barbara, on the jacuzzi thing--Wolf wouldn't even consider it. As a matter of fact, he hasn't taken his shirt off in public in...15 years?...but that has less to do with modesty than it does with hairy-ness. He got made fun of at the beach by womyn when he was about 19 and he's not taken his shirt off since. I keep telling him there is nothing to be ashamed of, but hateful, spiteful words from shallow people did their damage, probably for the rest of his life.
I would like to see more male nudes as I truely enjoy the male body--hair and all. My guess on the classical paintings is painters painted what patrons wanted, and patrons wanted nude womyn hanging on their walls, not nude men--since men were the patrons. Also, I would venture to guess that because womyn were not allowed to be artists, no matter what their skill level, I'm sure more male nudes would exist.
I'm not a gay man (or womyn) so I won't tread where I don't belong further than this statement: I would also guess that because homosexuals have not been viewed with a loving eye, homophobia would play a part in this lack of male nudes: no one wanted to be accused of being homosexual by painting men and, and thus, no man would pose for a male painter.
Both great comments niobium and WW.
Men like to look but not act, unless it is in a sexual way with their bodies, at least it so seems! But I am generalizing.
I took one of those drawing classes when I was 18 where there were live male and female nude models. It was wonderful! Being a horrible artist did not help, but my perspective on the nude body, and its beauty as an art form were heightened beyond belief.
I wonder if those classes are still offerred! This was a while ago.
Very interesting post. As usual!
America has ruined nudity.
I'm feel your vibe here, I will return to learn from you.
Yup. I think you're right too. Nudity now usually becomes some type of soft porn, at least. It's meant to "turn us on".
Occasionally, nudity will be used for comic effect - particularly if the body belongs to someone that society thinks of as old or fat, etc.
It really is too bad.
In the United States....it is considered pornography it seems...But it isn't like that everywhere in the world...Some places it's part of life to be naked....totally natural....My hubby doesn't have a problem taking off his clothes...I'm the one that wears enough clothes for both of us...LOL
It is sad that as a society, we (in the USA) have such potential to live a rich and arts filled life and instead a major portion feel it necessary to blindly follow archaic and puritanical boundries. We live in a society defined by retail and the media. We are told what to think, what to believe, what is sacred, who to hate, what to buy. Our government long ago figured out that by keeping its citizens living in fear gives it the upper hand.
Christianity, in its American form, and the male dominated corporate world have given us a phobia about the naked human body. Except for boobs. Men love boobs and they are exploited to no end.
I personally enjoy the naked human form in art. In the physical realm we are at our most basic when unclothed. It has been expressed for centuries because the body carries our soul through its journey on this planet and I think that fascination as led artists to express themselves through the human form. Mankind has created many ways to adore and adorn the human form. Tatoos, both inked and henna, piercings, mutilations and manipulations, and many other forms have evolved as personal styles in varying cultures.
But to end my ramblings, I am personally exhaused by the puritanical ethics backed by hypocrisy that thrives in this country. Hopefully some of this made sense.
Correction: straight men love boobs.
One comment:
"Every nude body seems to look the same, perhaps because the "artist" is the same plastic surgeon slicing and stuffing all of them"
I agree with you, WW, and therein is the point. PEOPLE have become BODIES. And everyone has to look the same, so everyone can be that same BODY.
And that's really sad.
nudity = sexuality in our society, and has been commercialized to sell anything and everything. this has given rise to warped body images in many but primarily in girls (the onset of eating disorders is getting younger.
if you view the human body as an object to be shaped and scorned instead of as a thing of beauty it's no wonder that everyone is so hung up on looks. our fashion trends are a prime example of this.
aspects of the female anatomy are used to sell various things (boobs at hooters, short skirts in many resturants. interesting that it's the female body that is used predominately. says something about a women's role/function in our society.
So, how can we as sensual people let go of some of these hang ups and phobias relating to the art of the human body? Do we need to begin re-defining it in a more individual way from an artisitc or individual perspective, or both?
Like Scott W., I too enjoy the naked human form in art, looking at both the male and female body.
As a side note, on the issue of nuidity, kudos to Allen Ball, the creator of SIX FEET UNDER, for redefining nudity in television.
For those of you who missed the season finale last night, it is absolutely brillant, and one which will literally take your breathe away, and keep you thinking for hours. I thought it might be something like what he did, but I did not expect it to be done with such creativity.
I will truly miss that show.
Coincidentally, I just went to an exhibition today that consisted of nudes. I posted about it, of course...
Cheers,
Mr. H.K.
Postcards from Hell's
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Today it seems that we are flooded with sexual imagery, but sex itself is still taboo... giving us a damned if you do, damned if you don't feeling.
Religious beliefs aside, we have people coming into our schools who educate about birth control, but still preach abstinence. We sign permission slips to let our children attend such sermons, then we let them flop on the couch to watch MTV and the OC... (We, you, or me, specifically)
Maybe if kids went to more museums and watched less TV, we could de-sexify simple nudity, and not have the hang-ups that some of us struggle with. (again not we, you or me, specifically) Afterall, the human body carries out trillions of tasks, and sex takes up a small fraction... unfortunately! (Sorry I couldn't resist!)
I can't figure out how this came to be... sex being "taboo", is the only reason "sex sells"... I don't know why it is this way, and I don't know how to fix it. My kids see me naked plenty (please don't call social services!)... I'm not sure how "Artistic" it is, but it sure as hell isn't "sexy"!! I have more of a "candlelight and lingerie" body... but at least I'm not airbrushed!
I would allow people to walk around naked if they choose, even if they're fat and hairy. The human body in all its forms is completely natural. We ponly cover up our bodies or make others cover theirs because of our own misconceptions about what nakedness means. And in August it's too hot in FL for clothes!
I don't believe we've lost the beauty of nudity in art.
This is especially illustrated with the new use of the pregnant nude in photography. In fact, most nude art is in photographic form in this age. I find the photos of mass nudes interesting.
I come from a small Utah town that prides itself on it's art history and it's small art museum. There was debate a while back about hosting private art classes and using nude models. It was suggested that you could learn the musculature of the body even when the model was wearing a leotard. The leotard sexualized the model more than any other aspect and the idea was disregarded.
I believe that art in the modern age has been politicized to a great extent. Propaganda has always had a common theme in that "sex sells"...either being very much for sexuality or against it. So when the general public sees a nude in art it's regarded unconciously as an ad. You show me a nude? What are you selling me?
This is one of the reasons why I decided not to persue art in college. Being constantly asked "It's lovely, but what does it MEAN?" was frustrating.
Considering I have changed my icon today, I must comment on this post.
To me, a nude body can be elegant, sensual and as shown a beautiful work of art!
Hi Barbara,
Just thought I`d take a wee bit of time off to catch up on what`s happening, and realise how much I`ve missed in such a short time!!
Great post!
I think that Art probably hasn`t really changed that much, but our perceptions of nudity probably have, depending on region.
Also, a sort of `ownership` of nudity appears to have been laid claim to by the young and beautiful!
When I was much younger, and on holiday in Greece, I saw a French woman who was in her eighties sitting topless on the beach. No big deal, as everyone there was, but two young women in their twenties were nudging each other and saying " Isn`t that disgusting, you`d think someone of her age would know better...who wants to look at that?".
To me, the French lady had more dignity and beauty than the two young ladies who were discussing her.
I have always found the human body to be both interesting and beautiful, especially the way it changes and adapts with time. The French woman for me, was a beautiful sight.
But, as the young sun-worshippers get older too, they may well find themselves, just like the French lady, naturally baring all!
Missed your site Barbara, good post!
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