The last picture in today's Igout series, like the first, is one of my personal favorites of this model. Chances are that his modeling was a one off event in which he was hired for a few days, but people are still looking at him and paying large sums of money for his photos almost 150 years on.
Is it still immortality when it's anonymous?
These old pictures are terrific. Men were far less ashamed of their bodies back then, an attitude we would do well to adopt nowadays.
ReplyDeleteI agree, B.D.
DeleteI'm sure the model never considered his photos would still be of interest to others a century and a half later. Couple that with this thing we call the Internet and you know he could not have possibly known that just a few clicks of a "mouse" would instantly give access to his photos to anyone, anywhere in the world. It nearly boggles my mind, so I'm sure he would have been flabbergasted.
ReplyDeleteYes, and I like to imagine that he would have been pleased to be admired once the shock wore off.
DeleteI really appreciate you finding these very old photographs that show naked men. It is so interesting to know that way back then there were fellows who liked looking at naked men, and especially full-frontal views that show their penis. In a day and age when there are zealots who are trying to erase any evidence of this by getting these pictures removed, it is good to see sites where they still are found. You really do a good job of researching the material that you present.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the compliment, Gerald!
DeleteInteresting. I assume, in one way, that he would have considered these photographs, although a new medium, perhaps a lesser form of art? As they are meant to be used as an artist's reference. But, then again, the contemporary view might have been that the skills and processes required for this new medium could be considered an "art"? In some ways, every time we model, we take part in the generation of a trail of immortalising material. I like the thought that a fine drawing "David standing 20' " may cause future experts to wonder "who was he?". Great pose though. Where is the snooker table?
ReplyDeleteI've done some more research since I put this series together over a week ago. It seems that a few of the Ecole des Beaux Artes models have been identified from old records. As I noted in the life drawing series, this was mainly prior to about 1825 when the school had models on staff who were generously salaried and even got pensions. After 1825, they held cattle calls at the gate of the school, and virtually all the models were part timers who did something else for their main living. Very few of the latter were recorded. I haven't been able to learn much about the photographic models, other than the interesting observation in a memoire that they were held somewhat in disrepute for appearing nude in a literal way. Apparently it was OK to be interpreted nude through drawing or painting, but not mechanically through technology. As for "David standing 20," I have a vision of some 22nd century hobbyist sharing it telepathically on the successor to the internet.
Delete