Nude Women In The 19th Century

With today’s easily accessible technology, one could pull up numerous pictures of a nude woman, whether pornographic or fine art based, in a few seconds. Surprisingly, prior to this influx of technology, these images were not that scarce; in fact, photographers have used the nude body as a source of inspiration and content since the beginning of the medium. As stated by Graham Clarke in his book The Photograph, “[m]uch of the photography of the body in the early twentieth century is an extension of nineteenth-century preoccupations and attitudes” (Clarke). The 19th century encompassed the Victorian Era, and although it was shortly after the camera was invented, according to the Museum of Sex: “Victorians took millions of photographs; an untold
According to Graham Clarke, “The gaze' is more than a look. . . [i]t implies power, but it also implies the voyeuristic and the fetishistic: primary terms of reference in which a body is subjected to assumptions which have nothing to do with its individuality; its uniqueness in terms of the person, rather than the image, being photographed” (Clarke). The male figure is likely videoing her specifically for the male heterosexual gaze and to bring upon titillation in the viewer, rather than showcase the beautiful young woman and her body as humanistic. Again, much like in his photograph “Self-Portrait with Wife and Models,” Newton appears to have a sense of innocence by just documenting the event rather than being a participant. However, when one thinks about the context of the photograph, it is clear Newton is a prime voyeuristic figure, a statement he would likely agree with as he stated “[i]f a photographer says he is not a voyeur, he is an idiot” ("About Helmut
Front and center are the two female’s adorning black underwear, sheer black stockings, and shiny black heels. The woman closest to the camera has several bracelets and rings on both hands while the other models arms are invisible to the viewer. Across from them, a male figure stands behind a chair grasping it lightly, wearing a black suit and has a slicked back hair. He’s significantly blurry in relation to the prominent female figures, yet the viewer can still sense his importance and dominance over the woman; it seems as though he owns the lavish room in which this event took place and has complete control over the female figures. On the chair in front of him sits a television with white light shining out of it. In the background, there is a marble fireplace, a large decorative mirror and a lit chandelier within said mirror. Newton’s perspective is unique in this shot in comparison to “Self-Portrait with Wife and Models,” and his shot within “Here’s Looking at You.” Newton appears to be positioned on the floor pointing the camera upwards at an angle. The repetition and waist down shot of the two woman makes them feel as though they are unimportant and disposable, seeming as if any skinny white woman would satisfy this role. Once again, it is clear that Newton is not the daunting male figure within the photograph, although one must remember that he is still present and the one