History of Nude Drawings in Art

History of Nude Drawings in ArtNudity vs. NakednessThe nude figure is the most volatile subject in the recital of blushering. The artists treatment of the nude dictates whether her gaze ad investes the sceneer with a coy obliqueness or a confrontational directness. The figure has the ability to condemn, invite, and often perform both simultaneously. Through the viewing audience inverted projection an immediate response to nudity, the nude figure attains the ability to undress us. The vulnerability and splendor of nudity is that in its unproblematic form, with no adornment or intention, it is looked upon with grace and beauty solely the moment that it d tout ensembleies on the line of effortful pleasure, it will be seen in the oppo bafflee light. Even today, current nude photos, in the culturally appropriated context, ar appreciated as art, whereas pornographic images are viewed tactlessly and cheaply. The reclining nudes contentiousness rout out be charted from Cabanels Venus to Manets capital of Washington with the writers Zola, Clark and Castagnary. They argue that it is the context that demarcates the crucial difference of acceptable and refutable works of nudity and explain that these artists, most notably, Manet, disobey traditional conformity by being able to belong to multiple facets of prostitution therefore, in essence, not belonging to any singular categorization.To preface my explication on Manets capital of Washington, Ill first give about background. Edouard Manet was born on January 29, 1832. He was well educated but showed a great liking toward drawing and the arts. His Uncle Charles Fournier encouraged Manets appreciation for the arts and often took him and his friend, Antonin Proust, on outings to the Louvre. In 1850 Manet entered the studio of Thomas Couture and studied there until 1856. During this time, Paris began its massive transformation of the city under the supervision of Baron Haussmann. Haussmanns revitalization affected t he physiological environment of Paris as well as the cultural and social atmosphere. Thousands of jobs were created, stores redesigned, and buildings torn d possess and redeveloped. All of this happened to try to make Paris the most stunning and cultural city in the world. This cerebration of change might have prompted Manets decision to paint his capital of Washington so boldly naked. But I moot the answer lies in the artists lifelong ill-health it was in fact Manet himself suffered the physical pain from which he suffered on a daily basis was the result of a syphilic computer virus contracted during one of his aforementioned youthful encounters, a mis planion which haunted the artist throughout his life . Taking this load into get windation, one must therefore con attituder the psychological effects that Manets own feelings of guilt and regret concerning the ca determination of his illness, and consider the effects that it had upon his life and his work, and thus in turn the bearing in which those feelings influenced his view of women as a whole, but particularly those of ill-repute.Although he has been hailed as the first modern painter, Manet was inspired by the great tradition of artists yieldle Giorgione, Titian, Velazquez and Raphael, whom the Pre-Raphaelites had rejected. For usage, capital of Washington (1863) is doubtless based on Renaissance works and shows his re-examination of old masters where as traditionally, nude figures were always depicted in classical settings or as goddesses, flesh out like the choker and shoes of the subject of this flick make it clear she is a contemporary courtesan. Also, she does not have the typical demure, slightly coy recipe the public would expect, but instead looks straight out of the painting in a matter of fact, gainsay behavior which would be shocking and considered unacceptable at this time. This painting overly shows Spanish influences, and was described by a critic as a crazy piece of Span ish madness due to the way the figure seems to be asserting a powerful physical presence. This idea of a powerful female figure was possibly inspired by the Spanish ballet troop who performed at the Hippodrome in Paris starring a woman called Lola, depicted as a robust, red-blooded figure.In the Salon of 1863, Manets Olympia was criticized her unacceptable composition and directness of gaze while Cabanels Venus, later purchased by Napoleon III, was lauded for its refined eroticism. Castagnary epitomizes this idealized view of the nude in his account of 1863 when he uses the words dazzling, immaculate and naked beauty to describe the nude form of the goddess Venus. Castagnary also comments on Venuss harmonious pose and utter(a), well arranged contours. Cabanels Venus is perfectly, technically drawn- idealized, devoid of any blemish or torso hair. She is sexually passive, characterless and more perfect than is humanly possible- which fitted with the accepted style of the time. Accor ding to Frances Borzello, Cabanel adheres to a nonindulgent set of conventions when he paints his Venus as historically, the reclining nude is painted in the guise of a classical goddess and tends to lie with her pumps turned from the sweetheart, half closed, or even closed (as in Cabanels piece), offering no obstacle to his free-ranging glances over her body she often stretches out in a landscape whose hummocks and valleys metaphorically double her curves (hence the signifi burnce of the swelling sea Venus floats atop) . The Salon goers were used to seeing paintings with elaborate shades between light and dark, and because Manet covered up nearly all such shades, the critics could not see Olympia as a three dimensional figure, sole(prenominal) as an arrangement of flat patterns. But this engaged the eye more, forcing it to assemble continuity from extremes of light and dark. Manet chose instead to paint bold brush strokes, implied shapes, strong simplified forms, and used unsu bdivided colours. He allowed the viewer to see the paint itself as a part in the painting and to see the texture, and elements of colour. His work looked natural with no actual fixed composition. Olympia beyond doubt shows Manets aspiration to simplify. Manet highlights his subject with a thick, bareish outline that closes in on her. As a result, all of these techniques potencyd the viewer to see Olympia not only as a naked woman, but also as patches of paint precisely laid on the surface of the canvas.Manets use of color in Olympia separates it from about(prenominal) of his other paintings. Olympias chest is very lit up making her the focus of the painting. This flattens the image of Olympia by extracting the roundness of her. Everything in this painting is all light or dark. The light and dark both make up two different planes, the foreground and the background. The white sheets, pillows, flower bouquet, and the servants dress are the blameless foreground layer. The dark gr een curtains and rust like wallpaper make up the background. These two layers, however, are joined together with the servants dark face, the black cat, and Olympias black jewelry. Without these elements the foreground would look like it was just cut out and pasted down on a background. The contrast of colorise at heart Manets painting appeals to the viewers senses. Emotional responses to the painting, such as purity, are caused by the white colors of the bed and the woman upon the sheets. Her white, pure skin tone relates to the natural association with virgin purity. The darkness that surrounds the women upon the bed indeed relates to dark, harmful feelings that most relate to evil. The woman upon the bed inhibits the natural innocence of the painting. The flower that is placed within her hair contains colors of pink and red hues. These brighter colors of the painting bring a very strong interest to the womans head and facial features. There are other conglomerate color relati onships within this painting as well. The different flowers seen in the bouquet can also be seen in the blanket Olympia is laying on. The dress of the servant matches that blanket also. The wall in the background coincides with the couch or bed that she is laying on. Overall the repetition of color allows the painting to flow smoothly. The use of color within the painting allows different perspectives based on feelings and emotions.The subject matter of this painting is both intriguing as well as artistic. The woman, Olympia, is pictured in a very different way than most of paintings in that time period. Her naked body shows her physical beauty, but the way she is propped upon the bed gives the idea of her not having respect for her personal body. The reason for this is that other paintings of this time show women presenting themselves in a more graceful matter, stereotypically ladylike. Her complete nudity, with the exception of her bracelet, necklace, and shoes shows that she feel s that accents are needed to make her beautiful. If the womans view of herself was different she would see herself and her body as a piece of art work within itself. Her jewelry, flower, and shoes show us she needs more to feel beauty outwardly. The bed beneath her gives the pretrial of laziness because it is unmade. Yet the lines of the sheets accent her body curves to give an even idea of shape. whatsoever might view her as a sexual partner to many men because of her willingness to be nude and the flowers that are being brought to her by the servant. The flowers symbolize Olympia being very lady-like, and proper. notwithstanding she maintains a very impersonal relationship with the viewer because of her flat gaze.Camille Lemonnier states that in order for a nude to stay pure in art she must be made impersonal and this is what Cabanel does by draping the arm across Venuss face, obscuring it and allowing her just to peek out through half-closed eyelids and by ridding her body of imperfections (which explains the absence of pubic hair) that make her personalized, and therefore flawed. The view that comes across very strongly in Castagnarys account is that all artists that paint nudes should strive to create perfection. This is a very different view compared to both Zola and Clark. Cabanel also includes the group of flying cupids that accompany Venus on her journey (to finally stand erect and separate herself to men as Castagnary puts it). They play the part of the necessary allegorical trappings that must be included in a traditional reclining nude, as the call for of the painter is to elevate his model to goddess status and present her idealized, modest form to the spectator to appreciate and admire in her immaculate beauty. By placing cupids in his painting it ensured that the spectator would know that this was Venus- not just a naked little girl Cabanel got to model for him, a mistake Manet makes with his Olympia.The fact that Manet copied his model, i n Zolas words, just as she was caused untold shock and outrage among the crowd at the salon of 1863. Manet disrupted the convention that the reclining nude should in no way cause embarrassment to the viewer. He caused a scandal by posing his model as a modern woman (with no allusions to her being a goddess) who stared boldly back at the spectator, challenging and discomforting. In Zolas account of Manets Olympia he focuses on the technical merits of the painting and highlights the new style that Manet was painting in, saying that everything is simplified and that if you wish to construct equityfulness you must step back a bit, he believes Manet had performed a miracle. This view differs highly from Castagnarys, as in his account of Cabanels Venus he stresses the fact that Cabanel is a skilful draughtsman and much emphasis is placed on creating a technically correct painting. However it is my view that Venus in Cabanels work doesnt sit as comfortably in her setting as Manets Olymp ia does in hers. To me Venus appears stuck on to the crest of the wave- as if Cabanel had sketched his model first and added the background in later, working it around his model and not actually incorporating her into the scene very effectively.However, despite Manets miracle brushwork and his courteous nod to Titians Venus of Urbino people found the painting offensive. We can clearly distinguish Olympia as being a courtesan and this is what I believe caused the public react in a hostile manner towards it. She is adorned with many of the trappings that would have been familiar to them as they would have been able to tell she was a prostitute- her pink flower placed on the side of her head, her black ribbon around her neck and slipper dangling from her foot. A black maid offers flowers to her- no doubt sent by one of her clients, also whereas Titians Venus delicately covers her sex, Olympias flexed hand firmly protects hers, as if to refuse to let the viewers eye roam freely over her . This, accompanied with her calm, almost smart glare further adds to the feeling of discomfort the visitors to the salon must have felt.There were many prostitutes around at this time that chose ancient names for themselves (like for example Olympia and Aphrodite) and numerous members of the nobility kept open mistresses. It was normal to go about your business and family life during the day then mix with women like Olympia at night. These high class men would have attended the Salon with their families and been confronted with something from their other life- a prostitute. The fact that she was a prostitute elevated to goddess status many people thought was unacceptable. Countless felt that this kind of image didnt fit in the setting of a respectable salon. Its because of this fact that Zola states that Manets work is more solid than any other- when other painters correct nature (as Cabanel does in his work) they lie why not tell the truth? He says that Olympia is a girl of our own times whom we have met in the streets. Manet incorporated the present with the classical in a way that had never been seen before, it was a comment on society but more importantly he wanted to capture his subject as she really was. Titian turned his model into a goddess, whereas Manet turned Titians goddess back into a simple woman.Here we see the differences in Castagnary and Zolas opinion. Its my impression that Castagnary advocated that nudes should be objects of perfection to be viewed as a way of deepening our appreciation of beauty, whereas Zola stresses the importance of telling the truth and painting from real life, to create a comment on society. However Clark takes a different stance on the nude altogether and argues that the nudes purpose is to shake off erotic feelings within us- if it fails in this objective he believes the artist has created bad art.Clark says this is the obvious bakshish of the nude, and that however abstract, it shouldnt fail to arouse in us so me vestige of erotic feeling. Manets Olympia certainly does this and so do countless other artists versions of the nude. Artists like Giorgione and Ingres show how the nude can be erotic in the traditional sense and artists such as Henry Moore, Modigliani, Picasso and Egon Schiele have explored new ways of portraying the nude- set free by Manets rebellion in 1863. However I do not wholly agree with Clarks view that the nude should always be erotic as I commend that the nude evoke other feelings besides this. For example Egon Schiele can emit the feeling that is conveyed to me is one of intense vulnerability and this is something Clarke doesnt explore at all. To be nude/naked is to be stripped of our clothes, laid bare for all to see with nothing to hide us. It is true to say also that many nude paintings are too erotic- to the point where as a spectator you feel more like a voyeur.Lucien Freuds painting Naked Girl Asleep for example, shocks me whenever I look at it, as do any of h is paintings. However it is true to say that in the period we are living in we have been desensitized, which makes me believe that my reaction to Freuds work is resembling to the salon goers of Manets day, to his Olympia. Its my opinion that the subject in Naked Girl Asleep is placed centrally on the canvas so that it forces you to look at her (much like how Manet made the focal point of his painting, Olympias eyes where she challenges you to engage with her). Everything in Freuds piece seems too stark and amplified, the rib cage juts out and the skin tone of the girl has an almost death like quality. Funnily enough this view is very similar to comments made by critics of Manets time about Olympias dirty flesh.I think it is very important to remind ourselves therefore of the period that each of these extracts were written in, as both Castagnary and Zolas account come from 1863, whereas the extract from Clarks book was written in 1956 and therefore what society found acceptable as a rt had changed quite dramatically. For centuries the reclining nude had been constrained by rules and conventions. After 1900 a reclining nude could be fractured by cubism or dissolved by abstraction painters were able to depict the previously unemitable. The nudes are no longer passive like Cabanels Venus but force you to interact with them, as did Manets Olympia.However, I do agree with Clarkes point that a nude should be erotic, but I dont believe that is its only purpose. I also agree with his point that if it does not evoke any feeling then it is bad art and I think this is true to says of all art in every genre. I believe a painting has to make you feel something whether its a bad feeling or a good one, as then it is creating a response- this is what I believe good art does. For me I get more out of looking at at Manets Olympia than I do looking at Cabanels Venus as I feel there is more to engage with in the painting- the black servant presenting a bouquet of flowers, the cat bowed its back and the mystery this creates. Is the cat arching his back and hissing because an unexpected person has just walked into Olympias room? Has Olympia sat up straighter, placed her hand coyly over her pubic area and met an unannounced guest with accusing, challenging eyes? Are we, as the spectator, in the position of someone bursting in? Is it us she challenges, looking out as we look in?Cabanels painting in contrast fills me with none of these questions apart from the fact that I want to know why it is that Cabanel thought it acceptable to plonk Venus on top of the wave I feel that she and the background do not fit together at all. Saying this I wouldnt say that Cabanels Venus was completely devoid of any erotic overtones, as I believe the way she gazes out at the spectator through half closed eyes is, in a way, inviting. I think the main thing that irritates me about this painting though is her passivity, almost as if she cant be bothered to really acknowledge you. Sh e seems resigned to the fact that she is there as an object of desire and just accepts it. Whereas Olympia is much more apprised of her sexuality and is in control of it- this to me, living in a post-feminist era is a lot more interesting and I feel I can identify with the painting more.In conclusion I believe that each of the writers attitudes towards the nude in the three extracts is valid and interesting. I can see Castagnarys point that the nude should be perfect as it can be an object of beauty, but this is an idealized view of how a woman should be. This view is still overriding today in the culture we live in, where we are bombarded with images of perfect (often airbrushed models) on a daily basis. The idea of what perfection is may have changed but the concept has not. I believe that Zolas opinion that painters should tell the truth is correct in reference to painting the nude, as I agree with showing the body as it is, complete with every blemish as Picasso said if it is pure (as Venus is in Cabanels painting) it is not art . I also agree with Clark to some conclusion when he says that a nudes purpose is to be erotic, but I do not believe that this is its only purpose. The nude can evoke all sorts of feelings within the viewer- feelings of pity, of empathy, of amazement, or of appreciation of our human bodies. To be nude is to revert back to the way we were in the beginning.BibliographyCLARK, T.J.- Olympias Choice, The Painting Of Modern Life- Princeton- 1984- p. 212, p.214BORZELLO, Frances- Nude Awakening- The Guardian Online- 2009 (Found athttp//arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,11710,824240,00.html)CLARK, Kenneth- The Nude- A Study Of Ideal Art- John Murray- London- 1956 repr 1957- p. 6