More than just anatomy: nude paintings

Alongside many other artistic subjects, nude paintings also feature prominently in the Student Art Market portfolio. Entering the search term "nude paintings" opens the door to a wealth of sensual works of art. The body is portrayed using a wide variety of media and styles. Some nude paintings are understated and delicate, whilst others are abstract and expressionist. A wide spectrum of this genre of painting is thus revealed with just a few clicks of the mouse. 

History

Originally, the term ‘nude’ referred to a graphic study of the human body, known as a ‘nude study’. The term thus originated as an academic term in portrait and genre painting in the 19th century. The nude painting through the ages If we look back through history, we encounter what is probably the first nude in 25,000 BC. The ‘Venus of Willendorf’ was discovered in Austria in 1908. The 11 cm-tall figure, carved from limestone, appears to be a true symbol of fertility. An impressive find! As one of the oldest and most diverse genres, the nude enjoys great popularity, yet it was the Greeks who elevated it to the status of an art form in its own right between 1200 BC and 600 AD. However, perceptions and judgements of the nude and nude paintings have changed repeatedly over time. From the Middle Ages through to the 15th century, the naked body was regarded as sin, misery, hardship, shame, impurity or poverty, and was therefore generally frowned upon. Nude depictions and nude paintings were permitted only for religious motifs; for example, the story of Adam and Eve required nudity. The Renaissance brought new vigour to nude painting and is regarded as the true beginning of European nude drawing. From that point onwards, it has been regarded as an art form in its own right. 

The nude models

But who, then, were the models for these nude paintings? Until the end of the 17th century, the models were exclusively male. It was only after that that women were also permitted to pose nude as models at the prestigious universities and academies. A task that, depending on the pose, was not particularly comfortable. As the models often had to remain in certain poses for a very long time – usually for the entire duration of the painting session – poles and other contraptions were frequently used to stabilise the body. The croquis style soon proved beneficial to the models, as it meant they only had to hold their pose for half an hour. 

The clichés of nude painting 

When we look at paintings of female nudes, a cliché often springs to mind: strong men, beautiful women. This is what most nude paintings depict. The female nude is often criticised for stigmatising idealised notions of female beauty and portraying women in specific, largely submissive poses. However, the more we ground ourselves in the here and now and critically examine these ideals of beauty, the more we sharpen our perspective and realise: the female nude comes in many forms, colours, poses and moods. Sandro Botticelli’s ‘The Birth of Venus’, for example, portrays the woman as a goddess who, despite her nudity, is not a symbol of physical love but of spiritual love.

Male nude paintings 

The male nude is not as popular or as frequently depicted as the female nude. Nevertheless, it has a long history. In ancient Greece, the male nude played a major role in sporting competitions. This display of strength was also reflected in art. Gradually, the nude portrait of the young man developed into the ideal depicted in many sculptures. The focus was not on the individual, but on an aspired-to ideal. In Gothic art, by contrast, nudity was an absolute taboo. Until the Renaissance, the Catholic Church was the sole patron of the arts and therefore did not permit nudity. During the Renaissance, the classical ideal of Greco-Roman culture made a comeback, with the male nude in particular taking centre stage. Painters such as Hieronymus Bosch and Jan van Eyck are artists who produced famous nude paintings or incorporated the nude male into their works of art. During the Baroque period, the male nude was largely confined to mythological motifs. Throughout all these eras and right up to the present day, the significance of the male nude has continued to evolve. 

 From the ideal to the individual

 Another important example, which focuses primarily on the study of the human body and its proportions, is Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Vitruvian Man’, which remains one of the most famous and most widely reproduced images to this day. Nude paintings of couples In addition to male and female nude paintings, there are also motifs depicting couples. As already mentioned, the works of the artist Vera Morosova fall into this category and depict a couple engaged in the act of love. Nudes depicting couples deal predominantly with two things: love and/or lust. A fine example of this is the work ‘The Embrace – Lovers II’ (1917) by Egon Schiele. The Viennese Modernist artist captures an intimate, exuberant moment. The focus here is not on nudity, but on the bond between the two figures. Modern nude paintings often depict a scene as well. It is no longer just about the body itself, but also about telling a story. Depicting a couple in love as a nude painting in particular emphasises the couple’s deep connection even more clearly. The Birth of Venus, oil on canvas, Maria Lassnig Nude paintings not only have a long history, but have also inspired humanity since time immemorial. Today, they are about more than just human anatomy and its general depiction. We encounter nude paintings in a wide variety of forms. Anyone wishing to buy nude paintings will find an ever-growing selection at Studierenden Kunstmarkt. 

Here you’ll find young artists who all portray and interpret this genre in their own unique way. Or explore, amongst other things, the categories oil paintings, animal depictions or Floral paintings find new inspiration.