Brandt Nudes: A New Perspective

The artistic nude, as a photographic genre and as we understand it today, seems to have arisen from experiments in the 1930s and on. That seems to be when photographers like  Cunningham , Weston , and Brandt started to see the figure as sculptural abstraction rather than portraiture, as the form and texture of human material as well as person. At the same time, the camera's technical capabilities were expanding, and with them the kinds of vision they could capture. This book captures some of those early B&W experiments, and offers some insight into what has changed in the intervening decades.It all starts with the universality of the human figure, and with its unique manifestation in each individual. Many of Brandt's images explore those basics, showing both the timelessness of basic human structure at the same time they show the kinds of figures considered fashionable at the time - a softer and curvier look than seems idealized today. Other times, Brandt looks into the details, texture of skin or delicate down that adorns so many women, as seen in the cover photo. In yet others, image number 76 among them, Brandt isolates a specific curve and fold, leaving the viewer to puzzle for a moment over the combination of sensuality and abstraction. Some times, an over-exposed image isolates the figure's profile by blanking out its details. Other times, a change of perspective expands her lower body, making the most of her long curves and feminine strength.More recent photographers, notably  Bitesnich , have gone farther in exploring the figure as abstraction in form. However far they've come, though, I find it helpful to know where those strands of thought started. Although Brandt was not the only one investigating such imagery, many of those strands can be traced back to here.-- wiredweird

I had no idea what to expect of the book and bouht it, as with many others, on the basis of recommendations. I was'nt dissapointed. My wife and daughter (18) also showed appreciation except for the more explicit photos of which I also am not really appreciative. He was an extremely good observer of shape and the settings compliment those choices, especially the photos taken on beaches. Even I you buy the book purely for appreciation of form and shape you will not be disappointed. In his book on Light and Shadow some of the photos also appear.

im happy to have this book!)) Thanks for a quick shipment!!)))

I'm going to start with the bad:I bought three copies of this book, and they were all defective. The first two had binding that was coming unstitched, and the third had grease smudges on several pages, as well as a huge crease on the dust jacket.If it weren't for that, I would rate this five stars in a heartbeat.Now, for the good:Gorgeous reproductions, presented as full or almost full pages. No images are run as spreads. The text is brief, insightful, and respectful both to the artist and the reader's intelligence.As the the artistry of Bill Brandt, it's incomparable. He approached female nudes as no one else had before, treating them with a surrealist eye and a landscape photographer's sensibility. His photos are engaging and engrossing. They present the body as something that's strange and otherworldly, without the sexual baggage that most nude photographers carry with them. He presents the body as a subject for examination and exploration, not titillation.Wonderful.

Classic overview of Brandt's considerable work with nudes. No survey of his work is complete without special attention to this area of his oeuvre.

Classic not Porn or Junk. There is so much Junk on the Internet.it seems more like a catalog anyone can post flesh on.

Beautifully printed - I was really pleased to find this was such a great gift and one that I will buy again!

Excelent book

If you are a fan of Bill Brandts nudes, then this is a fabulous book.The book is large - to allow you to fully appreciate the quality of his work.The print quality is excellent.If I lost mine, then I would buy another.

for home library

I was introduced to Brandt by way of his seaside nudes -- skin and smooth stones, etc. -- and those are well represented in this book. But it also covers his fascination with using a wide angle lens closeup to distort nudes in room interiors, as well as his high contrast studies. These were less familiar to me and I was glad to discover them through this volume.The images are well reproduced here, with a generous number of them. There is very interesting and educational accompanying text as well.An excellent addition to my photo book library.

Il librò è stato consegnato in perfette condizioni, senza alcun segno di usura o danno. I tempi indicati al momento dell'ordine sono stati rispettati. Mi ripropongo di contattare lo stesso venditore in futuro per altri prodotti dello stesso genere.

Wonderful book