Brandt Nudes: A New Perspective

Beginning with the words of Lawrence Durrell and ending with a poem by Baudelaire, this collection of Brandt’s nudes brings together the images, dating from the 1930s to the 1980s, from the photographer’s two earlier publications on the subject, and is a work of art in itself. The photographs are presented conceptually rather than chronologically, using Brandt’s own thematic groupings. Brandt (1904–83) studied with Man Ray in the 1930s, and the influence of Ray and other Surrealists can be seen in his sensuous abstractions of human bodies against harsh landscapes, with the bodies sometimes appearing to be landscapes themselves. These influences can also be seen in the settings of nude women in conventional interiors, with the mood ranging from mysterious to sinister, or even quietly violent when objects bind or replace body parts. As Durrell states, “Brandt broods over the nature of things and makes a quiet poetic transcript of them; his work is a prolonged meditation on the mystery of forms.... One comes up against the gnomic quality which resides in poetry and sculpture, one forgets the human connotation as if one were reading a poem, even though... the subject is a human being.” Photography lovers and fans of Brandt’s work will find this sumptuous collection with insightful commentaries a must-have. 144 duotone illus. (Apr.)