Saturday, February 26, 2011

Medieval Nude

This Bathsheba is from a medieval illuminated manuscript.

It contains already all important ingredients of this subject: A beautiful nude posing, two servants indicating a rich lady and king David peeping on his balcony.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Another Nude Susanna

Susannah at her bath (1874) by the French painter Hugues Merle (1823-1881).

Merle was a student of Léon Cogniet; and a friend of William Bouguereau. So he’s typical for that perfect academic style in the second half of the 19th century. Normally he painted sentimental and moral subjects from literature and history. His Susanna here was a good opportunity to show a beautiful nude girl. That she looks more like a French girl of that time wasn’t a problem, probably it helped selling the painting.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Seductive Daughters

Lot and his daughters by Flemish painter Lazarus van der Borcht (working in Antwerp 1601-1611). The poor father is seduced with wine and women. Seeing so much nude skin I think it must have been nearly pornographic in it’s time.