Day three of my art catchup series is some composites I made showing classic era physique photographers' representations of poses and themes seen in 19th C. academic art. We start the show with an unknown Douglas of Detroit model with a drawing by Anton Mengs of Czechia.
We can go back much, much farther in history than the Classical Revival to see that "what's old is new again . . . and then old yet again" was firmly understood by the Ancients:
ReplyDeleteדּ֤וֹר הֹלֵךְ֙ וְד֣וֹר בָּ֔א וְהָאָ֖רֶץ לְעוֹלָ֥ם עֹמָֽדֶת:
A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth endures forever.
מַה־שֶּֽׁהָיָה֙ ה֣וּא שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וּמַ֨ה־שֶּׁנַּֽעֲשָׂ֔ה ה֖וּא שֶׁיֵּֽעָשֶׂ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין כָּל־חָדָ֖שׁ תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ:
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.
יֵ֥שׁ דָּבָ֛ר שֶׁיֹּאמַ֥ר רְאֵה־זֶ֖ה חָדָ֣שׁ ה֑וּא כְּבָר֙ הָיָ֣ה לְעֹֽלָמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה מִלְּפָנֵֽנוּ:
There is a thing of which [someone] will say, "See this, it is new." It has already been for ages which were before us.
The Book of קֹהֶ֣לֶת - Ecclesiastes.
DeleteAn eternal truth, especially when it comes to art, fashion, and human nature.
DeleteLike me, I see you can't identify the three Douglas of Detroit models. You may recall I posted this one a while back and mentioned that odd looking heel on his right foot. In fairness, I have another photo of him where his heel looks fine. Maybe it's an imperfection in the photo.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right about the heel spot being a technical flaw. The man is pretty much flawless.
DeleteYet another superb series. Thank you, Jerry. Our unknown model, certainly knows how to elegantly display his beefy physique.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, David! I agree about Mr. Mengs' model, and would only add that men as built up as he is don't appear that often in academic work.
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