Introduction to the male nude
The female nude has been, since the dawn of human civilization, at the center of the art historical narrative, which, in a sense, has been more accepting of the externalization of this type of physicality, compared to the male nude, which is often perceived as more illicit and disconcerting, that is, capable of disturbing the soul of the viewers. Nonetheless, the greatest masters of all time, mostly men, have celebrated the male nude in different ways, which, whether reverential or erotic, have constructed a figurative narrative, extending from the most ancient civilizations to the present day, a time span in which such a subject has gone from being a god to a mere "sinner." Such iconographic evolution of the male nude, often a symbol of strength, power, and virility, but also of beauty, vulnerability, and sexual intrigue, has taken place within a narrative, ranging, in its apexes of externalization, from ancient Greece to contemporary times. Prioprior to this early civilization, the subject in question tended primarily to take the form of the athlete or the god, as the Greeks imagined their deities as human-looking entities whose idealized qualities of physical beauty were inextricably associated with goodness of soul. This tendency was drastically transformed during the Middle Ages, a historical moment when, as anticipated, nudity even became sinful and embarrassing, since it was associated with original sin, and thus capable of transforming the iconography of the more classical lofty and lusty bodies into rather light and slender physiognomies, devoid of the previous emphasis on naturalism. The next moment was that of the Renaissance, in which a renewed classicism in the arts took hold, a trend whereby the nude genre became an opportunity to showcase not only extremely performing bodies but also the artists' technical virtuosity. The following establishment of art academies throughout Europe, which took place during the 16th and 18th centuries, led to a somewhat regulated and classicized style of depicting the nude, to be externalized suprathrough the technique of drawing, considered at the time as the central element of an art education, in which the said genre was immortalized in heroic compositions, where it took on the role of a strong and extremely virile character. The rather "naturalistic" tendencies of the late 18th century and the 19th century lead, toward the end of the latter period, to the realism of Courbet and Millet, viewpoints in which idealized men give way to more real figures. The real revolution comes, however, with the 20th-century Avant-gardes, a moment from which the body, as well as definitively moving away from academic language, becomes fragmented in Picasso's vision or presents itself as highly tormented in Schiele's, forever abandoning fidelity to the real datum. Further and personal points of view emerge with the serialization of Pop-Art and the language of Street art, movements that have definitively consolidated the multiple and original points of view with which, to this day, the male body is depicted. Finally, the path faced by the male nude within the endless narrative of art history will be explored through the following classification, aimed at collecting the best pictorial examples of the genre.
Alexandre Cabanel, The Fallen Angel, 1847. Oil on canvas, 121×190 cm. Musée Fabre, Montpellier.
Top ten: male nude paintings
10. Alexandre Cabanel, The Fallen Angel (1847)
Alexandre Cabanel, a French history and genre portrait painter, born in 1823, created the oil on canvas in question in 1847, resulting in a masterpiece aimed at making explicit the deepest and basest human feelings, as he immortalized the rebellion of Lucifer, who, cast out of heaven, felt extreme resentment toward God the father. This emotion comes to life in a classical body, perfect for giving form to the text of the book of the prophet Ezekiel, in which the angel is described as a being of perfect beauty. In spite of such statuesque features, which also present imposing reclining wings, the real protagonists of the painting turn out to be the eyes of the effigy, which, highlighted by the right arm, which partially covers the protagonist's face, appear extremely poignant, charged with anger, indignation, as well as wet with suffering tears, which tell us how Lucifer, although suffering, is not about to give up, but turns out to be quite eager to satisfy his desire for revenge, by opposing God's work. In fact, the very biblical account in the Old Testament is told of how Lucifer, God's most beautiful and wise angel created, was cast out of paradise into the depths of the underworld, externalizing in his weeping the last remnant of his goodness, which gave way to an infinitely charged with hatred, malice and resentment.
Peter Paul Rubens, Prometheus Bound, 1611-12. Oil on canvas, 243.5 cm × 209.5 cm. Philadelphia Museum of Art.
9. Peter Paul Rubens, Prometheus Bound (1611-12)
The Flemish master's masterpiece, dated between 1611 and 1612, in which a dynamic and suffering nude male body turns out to be the undisputed protagonist, is the result of multiple influences assimilated by the painter, who drew from Tobias Verhaecht the fundamentals of the landscape composition in the background, while the mythological scene suffered the model of Adam van Noort, a well-known portraitist of nudes and unrestrained images of Dutch life. About the composition as a whole, however, it looks to the iconography of history painting, which Rubens was able to admire when he worked with Otto van Veen, giving rise to the figure of a foreshortened Prometheus, which, positioned close to the viewer, also sees the citation of classical models and, in particular, Greek theatricality. However, one should not overlook the impact that Italian painting also had on the aforementioned masterpiece, referring to the lesson of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, Caravaggio's tenebrism and Titian's forms. Finally, the torment of Prometheus, a character from mythology who is the protagonist of the work, is well exemplified by a poem by Lipsius, a friend of Rubens' brother, who wrote: "Here, with hooked beak, a monstrous vulture burrows into the liver of Prometheus, who has no peace from his torments, for again and again the savage bird approaches his renewing breast and attacks him in a punishing manner. [...] One would think it would move, that its feathers would tremble. Horror grips the viewers."
One of Pierre and Gilles' multiple male nudes @pierreetgilles_gilles.
8. Pierre et Gilles, Mercury (2001)
Once again, just as in the masterpiece above, the nude is externalized in art through reference to the perfect body of a character drawn from Greek tradition, in this case a deity: Mercury, messenger depicted from behind, with the outline of his face in view, as he observes a serpent, which has entwined itself around his staff. Just such an animal, in doing so, repurposes the more classic iconography of the caduceus, or winged staff that traditionally accompanies the messenger of the gods. Speaking of Pierre and Gilles, on the other hand, the pair of French artists brought the aforementioned work to life by means of a four-handed operation, in which the first of the two creates the photos and the second retouches them with successive layers of paint, aimed at giving life to images, which, studied down to the smallest details, frequently refer to mythical and religious iconography, reinterpreted with an irrepressible sensuality and a highly kitsch point of view. The themes addressed by the duo are mainly Pop, related in particular to homosexuality, pornography and religious topos, revisited in a "baroque" key. On the subject of art history, however, an extremely well-known masterpiece depicting the aforementioned deo is Giambologna's Flying Mercury statue, which, preserved at the Bargello Museum in Florence, depicts the aforementioned subject while resting his left foot on the wind generated by Zephyrus' mouth.
Jean-Hippolyte Flandrin, Young male nude seated beside the sea, 1835-36. Oil on canvas, 98 cm × 124 cm. Louvre, Paris.
7. Jean-Hippolyte Flandrin, Young male nude seated beside the sea (1835-36)
In seventh place we find the masterpiece of one of the pricipal neoclassical exponents of the Lyon School, the French master Jean-Hippolyte Flandrin, who, in Young male nude seated beside the sea, depicts a naked young man with his arms wrapped around his legs as he sits on a rock by the sea, surrounded by an expansive sky. In this context it is good to highlight how the face of the protagonist, unidentifiable and in half-light, leads the viewer to recognize himself in the model, whose attitude is intended to stimulate recollection and isolated reflection, which is realized through the closing of his eyes. Still on the subject of the work, it is noteworthy that it was made in Rome, that is, during the study trip the artist made following his victory in the Prix de Rome in 1832. In addition, the work, which is highly renowned among French art critics, remains one of Flandrin's best-known works, so much so that it was subsequently interpreted by photographers such as Wilhelm von Gloeden, Claude Cahun and Robert Mapplethorpe. Finally, Young male nude seated beside the sea is also known because, since the 20th century, it has become a popular symbol of homosexual culture.
Egon Schiele, Seated male nude (Self-portrait), 1910. Vienna, Leopold Museum.
6. Egon Schiele, Seated male nude (Self-portrait) (1910)
We have come to the expressionist interpretation of the nude through the analysis of the masterpiece by Schiele, a master known for having interpreted this genre through multiple self-portraits, often marked by the depiction of an extreme image of the artist, who captured himself in impudent and provocative poses, in which, due to his lean, contorted and tension-laden body, he assumed an awkward, forced attitude and bizarre gestures, which brought him closer to the likeness of a lifeless buratto rather than a human being. Regarding the 1910 work, it, which is kept at the Leopold Museum in Vienna, was created by mediating a strong and decadent expressionist brushstroke, which generates the figure of the artist, whose straight and decisive lines describe the muscles and chest of a man without feet, intent on floating against a white background. In addition, the unnatural twisting of the body, coupled with the green, yellow and brown tones of his skin, make Schiele's features appear somewhat unnatural or characteristic of a state of illness or distress. Regarding the latter point of view, the masterpiece in question actually anticipated the end of the artist's days, who, almost prophetically, died a few years later at the age of 28, stricken by the Spanish flu, which devastated Vienna in 1918.
Lucian Freud, Naked Man, Back View, 1991-92. Oil on canvas, 182.9 × 137.2 cm. New York, MET. @lucianfreudart.
5. Lucian Freud, Naked Man, Back View (1991-92)
With position number five we come to German neo-expressionism, tackling the analysis of Naked man, Back view, a work by Lucian Freud in which the stylistic traits of the master, often intent on creating intense compositions capable of revealing the humanity and physical presence of the effigies, in this case summarized in the features of Leigh Bowery, the model for the masterpiece in question, are summarized. In spite of Freud's realism, he portrayed the aforementioned subject, known for his extravagant costumes and makeup, without any clothing whatsoever, as he appeared squatting on a stool placed in the painter's studio. In any case, the fidelity to the real fact was achieved thanks to the accuracy with which the German painter rendered the fleshy back of the effigy, which, full of "mounds" and "hillocks" seems to shout the artist's own words about the aforementioned pictorial genre: "I want painting to be flesh." It is precisely the latter words that allow us to elaborate on the stylistic features of the artist, whose works, characterized by extreme realism and the obsessive search for the real datum, depicted, sometimes in unnatural poses in order to enhance the details, often exaggerating them, friends, relatives, acquaintances and pets.
William Etty, Male Nude, with Arms Up-Stretched, 1828-1830. Oil on board. York Museums Trust (York Art Gallery).
4. William Etty, Male Nude, with Arms Up-Stretched (1828-1830)
I invite you to imagine the gigantic carcass of a bovine hanging by its lower limbs from a wooden support, while it stands out in a dimly lit environment, thanks to the candor and grandeur of its flesh. Now that you can see the scene I described, many of you will have already associated it with the well-known Slaughtered Ox by Rembrandt, a work from 1655, in which the unfortunate animal could also be interpreted as a sort of sacrificial lamb. The disposition of the limbs of the latter could similarly recall that of the suffering, and perhaps penitent, protagonist of Male nude, with arms up-stretched, a nude painted by William Etty. At the time of making this portrait, dated circa 1828, the artist, despite his high status, was continuing to study at the Royal Academy, a context in which Male nude, with arms up-stretched may have been intended to hang horizontally as a model on his back, although it is more likely a study for a Descent from the Cross. Finally, speaking of the British painter in question, he was known for his historical paintings containing nude figures, too often accused of indecency.
Jacques Louis David, Male Nude know as Patroclus, 1780.
3. Jacques Louis David, Male Nude know as Patroclus (1780)
Patroclus, a painting by the neoclassical artist Jacques Louis David, made in 1780 and currently kept in the Musée Thomas Henry in Cherbourg (France), is a work that many have understood as a study, as it lacks facial details, as well as other elements of the composition, aimed at hosting a reclining man with his back turned to the viewer. The nude, conceived to showcase an imposing physique, while also allowing the artist to demonstrate his technical skills, meticulously uses lighting, in order to highlight every aspect of the portrayed figure. The aforementioned genre, within the Neoclassicism trend, of which David was one of the major exponents, was to be understood as a necessary tool for exercising and perfecting the artist's hand in understanding the human body, even if in the initial stage of this process, drawing was to be preferred over pictorial art. Finally, it is mandatory to report some basic concepts of Neoclassicism, as only the latter will provide us with the complete reading of the aforementioned French masterpiece. In summary, the artistic trend in question sought the beautiful and the ideal, making reference to Greek art, which worked so hard to generate composed, calm works, with elegant shapes and far from bizarre and extravagant virtuosity, to be obtained through a rational research, which had to aim at simple forms, characterized by almost idealized grace, balance and composure.
Caravaggio, Amor vincit omnia, 1601-1602. Oil on canvas, 156×113 cm. Gemäldegalerie, Berlino.
2. Caravaggio, Amor vincit omnia (1601-1602)
At number two he could not but put an artist of the caliber of Caravaggio, creator of Amor vincit omnia, a painting in which the Italian painter depicted a young naked Cupid with a triumphant expression, while he is caught with open wings, a bow and a bunch of arrows in hand, traditional symbols of his power. The triumph of the latter attributes is also confirmed by the war instruments now positioned on the ground, just as if they had been defeated by the action of the noblest of feelings: love. Continuing with the description of the canvas, if the position of the legs of the effigy recalls San Bartolomeo in Michelangelo's Last Judgment, the childish expression of Love, full of anagrammatic ambiguity, recalls the example of Leonardo da Vinci's faces. Therefore, these two masters probably inspired the most romantic subject of Caravaggio's entire work, aimed, as anticipated above, at representing an allegory of the power of love, rendered through a Baroque style, capable of representing reality in a naturalistic way and dramatic at the same time. Finally, the reasons why the artist would have chosen this subject could be due to: Caravaggio could have been inspired by Virgil's verses on love in the Bucoliche, or he simply wanted to satisfy the requests of his Genoese client Vincenzo Giustiniani, historical patron of the painter .
Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam, 1511. Fresci, 280 cm × 570 cm. Cappella Sistina, Musei Vaticani, Vatican City.
1. Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam (1511)
On the top step of the podium we find another Italian, as well as one of the most important artists of all time, the immortal Michelangelo Buonarroti, author of The Creation of Adam, fresco of the iconic Sistine Chapel (Vatican City, Vatican Museums), in which God is positioned on the right side, while suspended within in a nimbus supported by angels and cherubs. On the opposite side of the support there is the nude of our interest, aimed at depicting Adam, progenitor of mankind, lying stretched out on a meadow, placed on a grassy slope, placed on a background devoid of details. The decision to place this last character in first place in the ranking comes from the fact that the naked Adam, while he is intent on bringing his fingers close to those of God the Father, performs one of the most iconic gestures in the history of art. With regard to this last movement, it is known that Michelangelo wanted to immortalize the moment in which the Creator, who is about to come into physical contact with his creature, does his utmost to transfer the spark of life into him. Surely, the Italian master was inspired by the phrase from Genesis "God created man in his image, as the two bodies he created are quite similar, i.e. both strong and robust. Finally, I would like to propose the following question: what if Adam and God were actually moving away from each other? In this case the first man on earth would by now have embarked on an independent life, keeping his gaze fixed on God, just like a child who, while learning to walk, repeatedly turns around looking for the sure gaze of his father.
Olimpia Gaia Martinelli