Staande naakte man op de rug gezien c. 1645 - 1706

This anonymous drawing gives us two studies of a standing nude man, seen from the back. It is held at the Rijksmuseum. Nudity in art is never just about the body. It speaks to a whole host of cultural and historical contexts. Historically, the male nude has been loaded with ideals of heroism and beauty. But we must ask, whose ideals are being represented? Who gets to be seen as the epitome of beauty and strength, and who is left out? This image reflects a specific construction of masculinity, one that emphasizes muscularity. The artist, though unknown, was participating in a longer tradition of representing the male form in a particular, idealized way. It is a reminder of how bodies are never neutral; they are always sites of power and meaning.