Adam: The Male Figure in Art

by Edward Lucie-Smith

Book Overview

A fascinating study of the male nude in art : the image which provokes the most powerful of taboos but which has dominated the history of art for centuries. The myth of Adam, the 1st man, is about passing from the unclothed state of innocence to the clothed state of experience. Adam celebrates the male nude in every medium from the idealized beauty of ancient Greek and Roman statues to the perceptions of the male nude in every medium from the idealized...

• Format: Hardcover
• ISBN: 1551921928
• ISBN13: 9780297824374
• Release Date: October 1998
• Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.2" x 0.8" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A nice balance of Images and Information

So many art books are heaving on the images and light on the actual research regarding the subject, but this book has a nice balance. Although there isn't a huge amount of text in the book, it does a good job at throughly explain the various dominant themes concerning the male figure in art.The images are varied and represent each topic/theme very well. As a painter who specifically paints male portraits, it is a very nice coffee table book that has a little research to back up the ample images. The only issue I would say that I have with the book is that it may be in need of a new edition, its been over a decade since this inital release, so dont expect anything regarding any work of the 2000's. But that isn't a criticism of the book, just that its good enough to be worth an update to include an new decade. Good art book for your coffee table on a pretty interesting topic for any art appreciator.

great resource for art historians interested in masculinity

this book seeks to briefly encapsulate the history of the male figure in (western) art. it does a good job of providing a variety of styles and media, and the images are always very interesting. also, as a dancer, it is fascinating to note how the body becomes more and more realistic as anatomy is more fully studied and understood. it is a great resource for those interested in this branch of art history, as well as those who are interested in the way culture has looked at the male body.

A thoroughly refreshing entry into art history

Adam; The Male Figure in Art by Edward Lucie-Smith sets out to explore how artists have perceived and represented man as a subject in every form of the arts. With his characteristic enthusiasm and wit Lucie-Smith offers enough treasures of painting, sculpture, photography, murals from Egypt and Rome and Greece to satisfy even the most avid art historian. It is a pleasure to discover young contemporary artists along side the ancients and the grand masters. This is a potpouri, a delectable, energetic voyage that begs frequent return visits. A must from the current coffee table art book selection for the holidays!