Classic nude art photography
This interpretation of classic nude art photography shows a nude female in black and white. She is prostrate, body foreshortened, head towards the viewer. She is, however, anonymous, her face hidden. The pattern of sunlight through the leaves obscures her body. The lines of the figure blend into the surroundings, creating visual ambiguity. The camouflaging of the nude steers the viewer’s attention towards the abstract and deemphasizes the carnal.
The most prominent features are her upper arms. These limbs form a diagonal line through the center of the composition. Closest to the viewer is a hand. Her fingernails and the creases of her knuckles are clearly visible. Further up her arm are grains of sand, adding texture and hinting at the story of her previous activities. Her face is toward the ground, the top of her black hair toward the viewer. Her shoulders and upper back have more sand on them. Her legs are partially hidden. Just a thigh, calf, and the sole of one foot are visible from behind her hips.
Although the image seems static and balanced there is some kinetic tension. Her hips are turned upward in a subtly sensual twist. There plausible explanation for this pose is to entice the viewer. Her posture accentuates her feminine curves. Her buttocks form two smooth arcs. The shape resembles the top of a valentine/heart. The small emphasis created by raising her hips imparts a bit of animal spirit to the mood.
The body fills the frame, with little space above and below her. The left margin, however, is larger than the right one. This, along with her retracted arm and turned head, implies motion into or out of the negative space at the left. Although it is unclear whether she intends to enter this space or has retreated from it.
This classic nude art photography is rendered in tones of warm and cool grays. Almost monochromatic blue-gray shadows contrast with amber-hued highlights.
The effects of perspective are pronounced. The depth of the nude figure is exaggerated, the effect owed to the low angle of view.
