Discoveries: Images of the Body (Discoveries

by Phillippe Comar

Discusses both the artistic and scientific images of the body from prehistoric times to the present.

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1999

Reviews

[Michael P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

How have different cultures imaged the human body across time? This primer is a superficial but useful survey that includes the earliest images made by primitive people to selected types of images made today. The book is longer on reproducing and describing images than it is on why they were created or on what body images mean to the cultures that produced them. Though richly illustrated, the book is dull at times, as most books in the Discoveries series are. Body "images" described by words alone are not included in this book. Old pornography is covered, but modern pornography is virtually skipped. Maybe including more of the concerns of our day would have made the book seem more vital than it is.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting. a light read. recommend having a general knowledge of art history though, or else could be kind of overwhelming.