Nude in a Different View
Paul Cadmus (1904 - 1999)
Study for a David and Goliath, 1971
Study for a David and Goliath, 1971
Acrylic on acrylic gesso on linen
I chose this work by Paul Cadmus to look at nudity in a different point of view. Most of chapter three in the book by John Berger "Ways of Seeing", was about the nudity of a woman and how they are depicted in Berger's words, "Women are depicted in a quite different way from men - not because the feminine is different from the masculine - but because the 'ideal' spectator is always assumed to be male and the image of the woman is designed to flatter him."(Berger 64) I would like to contrast some points about paintings of a nude male and how the spectator can still be men. Let's first discuss the male nudity in this painting by Paul Cadmus.
Okay, obviously there is a nude man in the painting and like many of the nude female paintings from Europe he is facing forward and looking out of the painting at his admirer. Cadmus seemed to really want to capture the physique and youth of the man by detailing his curly blond hair and his muscle definition. To me, the use of the color purple for the young man's robe is also suppose to symbolize of royal status. The sly look and devilish grin on the nude man's face suggests he is up to something sinister or is hiding something. Breger says "To be naked is to be without disguise. To be on display is to have the surface of one's own skin, the hairs of one's own body, turned into a disguise which, in that situation, can never be discarded. The nude is condemned to never being naked. Nudity is a form of dress."(Berger 54) Which is interesting, because even when we are nude we can still disguise what we might be thinking. Maybe even better than being dressed since the attention is on our nude body. Now let us turn our attention to the older other man in the painting and how the spectator can still be a man.
The painting "Study for a David and Goliath" was painted to depict Cadmus's sincere homage to the painter's David and Goliath through sardonic self-portraiture. Self-portrait meaning the older man in the painting is actually Paul Cadmus. Apparently, Cadmus was known to be an open homosexual. We also found out the nude man is his younger lover. The painting's meaning to me seems like Cadmus is in love with the nude man and has lost his head to him. Illustrated by the (what I think is a long spike) object coming out of his head and manipulated by his young lover. But, he seems happy and continues to paint. Again, with the purple robe symbolizing Cadmus's lover is the king of their relationship and controls him. Now that we know the artist is a homosexual we understand how the spectators can still be men. "She is a woman like any other: or he is a man like any other: we are overwhelmed by the marvelous simplicity of the familiar sexual mechanism."(Berger 59) I doesn't matter if the painting is of a nude women or a man it depends on the interpretation of the spectator.
Finally we see this painting in a different view than in the beginning. Yes, painting a nude male is different from a nude female but it only makes it different by our own misconceptions. When we throw aside our pre-programed views of what is or what is suppose to be. It opens our minds up to what can be.
Okay, obviously there is a nude man in the painting and like many of the nude female paintings from Europe he is facing forward and looking out of the painting at his admirer. Cadmus seemed to really want to capture the physique and youth of the man by detailing his curly blond hair and his muscle definition. To me, the use of the color purple for the young man's robe is also suppose to symbolize of royal status. The sly look and devilish grin on the nude man's face suggests he is up to something sinister or is hiding something. Breger says "To be naked is to be without disguise. To be on display is to have the surface of one's own skin, the hairs of one's own body, turned into a disguise which, in that situation, can never be discarded. The nude is condemned to never being naked. Nudity is a form of dress."(Berger 54) Which is interesting, because even when we are nude we can still disguise what we might be thinking. Maybe even better than being dressed since the attention is on our nude body. Now let us turn our attention to the older other man in the painting and how the spectator can still be a man.
The painting "Study for a David and Goliath" was painted to depict Cadmus's sincere homage to the painter's David and Goliath through sardonic self-portraiture. Self-portrait meaning the older man in the painting is actually Paul Cadmus. Apparently, Cadmus was known to be an open homosexual. We also found out the nude man is his younger lover. The painting's meaning to me seems like Cadmus is in love with the nude man and has lost his head to him. Illustrated by the (what I think is a long spike) object coming out of his head and manipulated by his young lover. But, he seems happy and continues to paint. Again, with the purple robe symbolizing Cadmus's lover is the king of their relationship and controls him. Now that we know the artist is a homosexual we understand how the spectators can still be men. "She is a woman like any other: or he is a man like any other: we are overwhelmed by the marvelous simplicity of the familiar sexual mechanism."(Berger 59) I doesn't matter if the painting is of a nude women or a man it depends on the interpretation of the spectator.
Finally we see this painting in a different view than in the beginning. Yes, painting a nude male is different from a nude female but it only makes it different by our own misconceptions. When we throw aside our pre-programed views of what is or what is suppose to be. It opens our minds up to what can be.
Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. London: British Broadcasting, 1972. Print.
Incisive and thoughtful. Well-done!
ReplyDelete