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In The Studio: Artists and Nude Models

In The Studio: Artists and Nude Models

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Nude modeling in the artist and photographer's studio has long been a safe container for prolonged exposure to the male body in all its casual beauty.

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At the turn of the last century, one of the few social positions lower than actor was artist's model. They were seen often as dire characters outside the edge of normalcy, and often assumed to be prostitutes (as were actors). Yet, they were still sought after as painter's models for the large classically inspired salon paintings of the time. And there seemed to be no shortage of very fit young men perfectly willing to spend hours completely naked while swarthy artists (with very cute beards and mustaches) closely examined their unclothed bodies in minute detail. It's for the art!

The situation was novel enough that there is a fairly large number of existing photos of naked men lounging about dank and dusty ateliers with groups of clothed men crowded about them. This was a special pre-YouTube moment when nudity still meant something outrageous and lofty at the same time.

Painting-classx633_0 The painting class stops to pose with the model at Academie des Beaux Arts

Wretlingwithmodelx633_0 Unknown origin.

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Eugene_sandowx633_0 Legendary physique model Eugene Sandow

Thesculptor-1964_fullx633_0 John Koch, The Sculptor, 1964

Mercurymaybex633_0 Unknown origin.

19_in-the-studio_0 Maurice Lecesne, Louis Leopold Boilly L'Atelier de Jean Houdon. Musee national des chateaux de Versailles et de Trianon

Meritus-society-1792x633_0_0 Adriaan de Lelie, Andreas Bonn Lectures the Drawing Academy of the Felix Meritus Society. 1792

01_in-the-studio_0 Martin Ferdinand, Quadal Life Class in the Vienna Academy. 1787

02_in-the-studio_0 Antoine Jean Bail, The Drawing Workshop at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts

03_in-the-studio_0 The Ecole des Beaux-Arts painting studio.

06_in-the-studio_0After the Sitting, John Koch

07_in-the-studio_0 Leon Matthieu Cochereau, Interieur de L'Atelier de David au College des Quatre Nations.

08_in-the-studio_0 Francois Salle, The Anatomy Cass at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, 1888

09_in-the-studio_0 , Alfred Munnings Study of a Male Nude in the Academie Julian

10_in-the-studio_0 Alexandre Cabanel, Albayde, 1848

11_in-the-studio_0 Laurtiz Tuxen, Male Nude in the Studio of Bonnat, 1877

12_in-the-studio_0 Study photo from the Thomas Eakins studio

13_in-the-studio_0 Study photo from the Thomas Eakins studio

14_in-the-studio_0 Study photo from the Thomas Eakins studio

16_in-the-studio_0 The Eakins School, Charles Stephens Anatomy Lecture

Life-class-at-the-royal-danish-academy-of-fine-artsx633_0 Wilhelm Bendz, Life Class at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, 1826

17_in-the-studio_0 John Singer Sargeant, Male Nude Study

18_in-the-studio_0 Gottfrid Kallstenius, Seated Male Model. 1887-88, Royal Academy of Fine Arts

Sculptor-christen-christensenx633_0 William Bendz, Sculptor Christen Christensen in His Studio, 1827

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Christopher Harrity

Christopher Harrity is the Manager of Online Production for Here Media, parent company to The Advocate and Out. He enjoys assembling online features on artists and photographers, and you can often find him poring over the mouldering archives of the magazines.
Christopher Harrity is the Manager of Online Production for Here Media, parent company to The Advocate and Out. He enjoys assembling online features on artists and photographers, and you can often find him poring over the mouldering archives of the magazines.