![Painting, Simplicity, Jennifer Makhatadze](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2142138_1_grid.jpg)
Human body
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![Painting, Simplicity, Jennifer Makhatadze](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2142138_1_grid.jpg)
![Photography, Satyr, Drawing Restraint 7, Matthew Barney studio, NYC, Michael James O'Brien](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2130073_1_grid.jpg)
Satyr, Drawing Restraint 7, Matthew Barney studio, NYC
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 61 x 43.2 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 17 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
![Photography, Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5, Gellert Bath House, Budapest, Michael James O'Brien](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2101899_1_grid.jpg)
Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5, Gellert Bath House, Budapest
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 61 x 43.2 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 17 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
![Painting, August, Ivan Russev](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2094378_1_grid.jpg)
![Photography, Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5, Michael James O'Brien](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2081889_1_grid.jpg)
Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 43.2 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 17 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
![Painting, Man with crossed arms II, Derek Overfield](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2050374_1_grid.jpg)
Man with crossed arms II
Derek Overfield
Painting - 121.9 x 76.2 x 7.6 cm Painting - 48 x 30 x 3 inch
$740
![Painting, Blasphemy upon the wall, Derek Overfield](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2050368_1_grid.jpg)
Blasphemy upon the wall
Derek Overfield
Painting - 121.9 x 76.2 x 7.6 cm Painting - 48 x 30 x 3 inch
$740
![Painting, Lotus-Eater, Derek Overfield](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2050356_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Rending Figure, Derek Overfield](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2050338_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, Univers'elle, Sylvie Bourely](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2005041_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, Sérénité, Sylvie Bourely](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2005023_1_grid.jpg)
![Photography, Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5, Michael James O'Brien](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1977168_1_grid.jpg)
Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 43.2 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 17 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
![Sculpture, Shopping, Françoise Abraham](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1926024_1_grid.jpg)
![Fine Art Drawings, La crème était presque parfaite, Petites Luxures](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1921635_1_grid.jpg)
La crème était presque parfaite
Petites Luxures
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 inch
$1,006
![Painting, Two starlings and a butterfly (Triptych) II, Ottelien Huckin](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1887408_1_grid.jpg)
Two starlings and a butterfly (Triptych) II
Ottelien Huckin
Painting - 34 x 68 x 1 cm Painting - 13.4 x 26.8 x 0.4 inch
$2,907
![Fine Art Drawings, Se la couler douche, Petites Luxures](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1685085_1_grid.jpg)
Se la couler douche
Petites Luxures
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 inch
$1,006
![Sculpture, Toine Assise, Bernard Métranve](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/168076_1_grid.jpg)
![Photography, Jonathan, Larry Clark](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1524270_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Tanae XXI, Gizi](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1476108_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Serie Las Piadosas, Enriqueta Aguiló](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1475370_1_grid.jpg)
Serie Las Piadosas
Enriqueta Aguiló
Painting - 90 x 110 x 2 cm Painting - 35.4 x 43.3 x 0.8 inch
$4,942
![Print, Piano girl, Alex Manchev](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1196874_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Untitled, Henry Maurice](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/679566_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Hav-A-Havana #10, Mel Ramos](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2186810_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Dodgem, Jorge Carruana](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2175623_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Woman and Tropical Landscapes, Jorge Carruana](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2175622_1_grid.jpg)
Woman and Tropical Landscapes
Jorge Carruana
Painting - 135 x 100 x 1 cm Painting - 53.1 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch
$5,366
![Painting, Run my deer, Stephanie Larène](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2171470_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, In between (1), Jan Siversten](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2171435_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Figure/Faune, Jan Siversten](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2171318_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Figure/Ornement (6), Jan Siversten](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2171316_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, The flood, Jan Siversten](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2171315_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, La Grande Vague, Laurent Betremieux](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2162821_1_grid.jpg)
La Grande Vague
Laurent Betremieux
Painting - 146 x 115 x 1 cm Painting - 57.5 x 45.3 x 0.4 inch
$3,578
![Print, Fig AA1, Vladimir Velickovic](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2150033_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Songe turquoise, Alice Plantain](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2147341_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Fragmentation - Planète Terre, Claude Laffaye](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2139770_1_grid.jpg)
Fragmentation - Planète Terre
Claude Laffaye
Painting - 20 x 20 x 2 cm Painting - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.8 inch
$168
![Sculpture, Girl with cat, Boldi](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2138158_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, For the love of god, Joann Côté](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2137737_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Défense de stationner, Joann Côté](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2137736_1_grid.jpg)
Défense de stationner
Joann Côté
Painting - 111.8 x 152.4 x 5.1 cm Painting - 44 x 60 x 2 inch
$4,000
![Painting, Dark and luminous self portrait, Joann Côté](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2137735_1_grid.jpg)
Dark and luminous self portrait
Joann Côté
Painting - 132.1 x 111.8 x 5.1 cm Painting - 52 x 44 x 2 inch
$3,750
![Painting, Les mains rouges, Joann Côté](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2137732_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Blue mood, Joann Côté](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2137731_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Bunny nights, Roy van der Laars](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2137610_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, A Bagno Maria, Claire Denarie-Soffietti](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2132425_1_grid.jpg)
A Bagno Maria
Claire Denarie-Soffietti
Painting - 120 x 90 x 5 cm Painting - 47.2 x 35.4 x 2 inch
$10,621
![Painting, Cuba, Claire Denarie-Soffietti](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2132230_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Satisfied mind, Emilie Teillaud](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2129980_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, 99 Dias, Pepita](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2097966_1_grid.jpg)
![Photography, Pes AC MaNuS, Louis Blanc](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2093364_1_grid.jpg)
![Photography, CoRpus AC maNus, Louis Blanc](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2093004_1_grid.jpg)
CoRpus AC maNus
Louis Blanc
Photography - 70 x 70 x 0.1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0 inch
$7,267
![Painting, Maleïts Homes, Pep Anton Xaus](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2084037_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Highway, Nathan Chantob](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1969230_1_grid.jpg)
![Fine Art Drawings, Le lac, Olena Siniuhina](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1958955_1_grid.jpg)
Le lac
Olena Siniuhina
Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 25 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.8 x 9.8 x 0.2 inch
$134
![Painting, Prometheus outside, Alberto La Tassa](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1796886_1_grid.jpg)
Prometheus outside
Alberto La Tassa
Painting - 250 x 300 x 3 cm Painting - 98.4 x 118.1 x 1.2 inch
$39,130
![Photography, Val surprises, Grzegorz Sikorski](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1794012_1_grid.jpg)
Val surprises
Grzegorz Sikorski
Photography - 50 x 50 x 0.2 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
$212
![Print, Senza titolo, Nino Aimone](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1731009_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Senza titolo, Nino Aimone](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1731003_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, Lemon with cream, Renata Dyk](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1683885_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Hope, Matteo Fieno](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1675503_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Babel, Matteo Fieno](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1675380_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, The woman on the sofa, Antonio Feltrinelli](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1630584_1_grid.jpg)
The woman on the sofa
Antonio Feltrinelli
Painting - 90 x 104 x 1.5 cm Painting - 35.4 x 40.9 x 0.6 inch
$17,888
![Sculpture, Atlantias série corps d'homme, Chantal Molinié Jonquet](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1524834_1_grid.jpg)
Atlantias série corps d'homme
Chantal Molinié Jonquet
Sculpture - 64 x 48 x 19 cm Sculpture - 25.2 x 18.9 x 7.5 inch
$6,373
![Painting, Girl laying down, Benjamín Lafuente](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1510740_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Marisa, Benjamín Lafuente](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1510737_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Lourdes II, Benjamín Lafuente](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1510734_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, The Midnight Dress, Sue Rosalind Vesely](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1482954_1_grid.jpg)
The Midnight Dress
Sue Rosalind Vesely
Painting - 120 x 90 x 3 cm Painting - 47.2 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch
$2,855
![Painting, To the white wall, Tsanko Tsankoff](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1456077_1_grid.jpg)
To the white wall
Tsanko Tsankoff
Painting - 100 x 130 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 51.2 x 0.8 inch
$4,248
![Fine Art Drawings, Olympia (d'après Manet), Michael Bastow](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1368993_1_grid.jpg)
Olympia (d'après Manet)
Michael Bastow
Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 100 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 39.4 inch
$6,149
![Painting, Bath time in green, Susana Mata](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1233525_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Satin boudoir, Alex Manchev](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1196880_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Hiding from the truth, Alex Manchev](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1196865_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, A memory of an unfullfilled love, Alex Manchev](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1196856_1_grid.jpg)
A memory of an unfullfilled love
Alex Manchev
Print - 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Print - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
$324 $227
![Sculpture, Concrétions, Pauline Couble](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1184424_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, JoŸau 55 Original n° EA I/IV, Sébastien Langloÿs](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1085346_1_grid.jpg)
JoŸau 55 Original n° EA I/IV
Sébastien Langloÿs
Sculpture - 6 x 5 x 6.5 cm Sculpture - 2.4 x 2 x 2.6 inch
$436
![Sculpture, JoŸau 42 Original n° EA II/IV, Sébastien Langloÿs](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1084284_1_grid.jpg)
JoŸau 42 Original n° EA II/IV
Sébastien Langloÿs
Sculpture - 7 x 5 x 4 cm Sculpture - 2.8 x 2 x 1.6 inch
$436
![Painting, On the way to Arcadia - II, Tsanko Tsankoff](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1044837_1_grid.jpg)
On the way to Arcadia - II
Tsanko Tsankoff
Painting - 100 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch
$2,795
![Print, Remnant of a memory, Alex Manchev](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1001385_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Keep me calm 1, Alex Manchev](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/1001361_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Nude, Roger Chapelain-Midy](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/992955_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Vibration, Cyril Réguerre](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/698064_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Aurora, Marian Smith](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2177486_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, A lady in her bath, Marian Smith](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2177485_1_grid.jpg)
![Painting, Miss Shrimp and grits, Marian Smith](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2177484_1_grid.jpg)
Miss Shrimp and grits
Marian Smith
Painting - 30.5 x 40.6 x 3 cm Painting - 12 x 16 x 1.2 inch
$1,453
![Sculpture, Jeune femme, Anne Deval](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2150504_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, Nymphe, Anne Deval](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2150503_1_grid.jpg)
![Print, Louisa, Jean-Marie Gitard (Mr Strange)](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2148872_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, Vallauris, Elizabeth Portnova](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2147180_1_grid.jpg)
![Sculpture, Les vignes, Elizabeth Portnova](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2147177_1_grid.jpg)
![Fine Art Drawings, Whispers of midnight, Zakhar Shevchuk](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2137432_1_grid.jpg)
Whispers of midnight
Zakhar Shevchuk
Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 28 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.9 x 11 x 0 inch
$335
![Fine Art Drawings, Ink album (Nude posing), Zakhar Shevchuk](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2137430_1_grid.jpg)
Ink album (Nude posing)
Zakhar Shevchuk
Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 20 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 7.9 x 0 inch
$335
![Photography, Nu #13, Irène Jonas](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2121501_1_grid.jpg)
![Photography, Nu #10, Irène Jonas](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2121486_1_grid.jpg)
![Photography, Nu #9, Irène Jonas](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2121480_1_grid.jpg)
![Photography, Nu #8, Irène Jonas](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2121474_1_grid.jpg)
![Photography, Nu #7, Irène Jonas](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2121471_1_grid.jpg)
![Photography, Nu #6, Irène Jonas](https://media.artsper.com/artwork/2121468_1_grid.jpg)
Human body
'I wanted to conquer the world. But I also desperately wanted to understand human nature, and to know what was inside our bodies. To do this, I have spent whole night dissecting bodies, against the direct orders of the Pope. Nothing disgusts me. What I am looking for, truly, in all of my work and particularly in my painting, what I have looked for all my life, is to understand the mystery that is human nature' – from the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci in the 16th century.
At the time of writing these notes, da Vinci had already made greater understanding of the human body the primary objective of his investigations. Dissection and study were key to his development of a holistic knowledge of anatomy, which da Vinci believed was vital to the perfect rendering of the nude figures which he painted and drew.
Little by little, the traditional image of the human figure was uprooted and in its place new ways of interpreting the body developed. Contemporary artists relentlessly questioned the traditional codes of figure drawing, liberally reworking the representation of the body to create a new image that was dislocated, geometric, deformed and disfigured.
The body as an artistic subject is at once desired, fantasised, dreamt, transformed, deformed. For painters, photographers and sculptors alike the body represents a rite of passage in their artistic development. Many people say that they most appreciate the talents of an artists by way of their control over the complexity of the figure. For example, it's clear even in Matisse's later, more abstract collages that he had perfectly mastered the human form.
Representation of the body is fundamental to Western art: first and foremost because it suggests a representation of the self, and therefore affirms the artist's own existence and coexistence with the environment that surrounds them. At the beginning of art history, the only bodies represented were the gods, supernatural beings, and spirits who had taken on human form. The body, nude or clothed, is at once one of the most widely depicted and most deeply polemical subjects in Western art (think of the scandals provoked by Courbet's 'Origins of the World', or Renoir's 'Picnic on the Grass').
The body has always been the primary subject of an array of themes, and its history is rich and ancient. Initially, depiction of the body was closely linked to religion, where the Word became flesh in Genesis, but later in more secular times the arousal of the artist when faced with the body made for an equally popular theme. Latterly the notion of the body as an object of beauty was subverted by Cubism until depictions of bodies no longer bore any resemblance to reality or made any pretence of respecting the rules of proportion.
Finally, in modern art the body has taken on an abstract shape within space, becoming one with the environment. In some instances, the body has become the artist's own support, as with Klein's models. The body as an abstract concept is tangible in many different manifestations in art, even in pieces as unassuming as some of Rothko's paintings. It remains the subject of inexhaustible inspiration and eternal debate.