History of the Body Model

Author: Chen Zui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: The term "model" was originally unfamiliar to most Chinese people. I remember in the early 1960s, during my university years, I often immersed myself in life and gathered materials. In factories and rural areas, if you asked someone to be a model for you, they would feel utterly confused. If you asked them to sit down and let you paint a portrait, everyone would understand. As for life models, they were even more clueless. In casual conversations, when discussing professional studies or work, if they heard that sometimes classes involved people sitting naked on platforms while others painted them, their reactions would undoubtedly be one of shock, and many would simply refuse to believe such a thing existed. Even when mentioning fashion models, advertising models, or beauty pageant contestants, people had clear opinions. These were seen as symbols of bourgeois lifestyles or the decay of capitalism. Such individuals or their activities often appeared in the negative content of newspapers or other literary works. Today, these stories sound amusing. In the field of painting, life models have existed since ancient Greece. Due to the of this work, people have long held a strong sense of mystery about it, which has led to many real or imagined legends and stories throughout history. This book traces the history of models, introducing different periods and the artists and works associated with them. Readers will learn about certain aspects of world-famous masterpieces and the anecdotes of the masters, thus entering the world of art and cultural history.