01/10/2020

THE NAKED FORM IN ART

A SELECTION OF NUDE ART ON POSTCARDS

Firstly I should say that I think most, if not all, of these images could appear quite safely on the main webpage page, but I made a decision some time ago that all nudity, of any type, would be placed on one of the CENSORED pages, so here you have a fairly wide ranging collection of artistic types from artists across the centuries.

BADENDE MIT OFFENEM, BLONDEM HAAR, 1902

By

AUGUSTE RENOIR

Published by

VERLAG GALERIE WELZ SALZBURG

Ref: Nr. 600

A NYMPH BY A STREAM

By

PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR

Published by the

NATIONAL GALLERY

Ref: 811544

THE SNAKE IN THE GRASS: OR LOVE, UNLOOSING THE ZONE OF BEAUTY, c 1785

By

SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS

Published for the

SIR JOHN SOANE MUSEUM (2013)

Ref: C-43111X

PERSEUS AND ANDROMEDA (P11)

By

TITIAN

Painted 1554 – 56

Published by

THE WALLACE COLLECTION

FISHERMEN

2002

By

JOHN CURRIN

Published by

GEBR. KONIG POSTKARTENVERLAG

Ref: Bestell-Nr.: 404/1

Printed in Germany

There is no doubt that the naked female form is the type, most commonly, found on pieces of art, but the male form does appear. Surprisingly, this piece is a modern piece, although it has all the hallmarks of an older design

NU DRET, 1921

By

JOAN MIRO

Published by

FUNDACIO JOAN MIRO – CENTRE D’ESTUDIOS D’ART CONTEMPORANI

PARC DE MONTJUIC BARCELONA

Ref: 609

NU AU MIROIR (NU DEL MIRALL)

By

JOAN MIRO

Published by

FUNDACIO JOAN MIRO – CENTRE D’ESTUDIOS D’ART CONTEMPORANI

PARC DE MONTJUIC BARCELONA

Ref: 602

DIE SINNLICHKEIT

1891

By

FRANZ VON STUCK

Published by

BROHAN-MUSEUM

THE ROKEBY VENUS

By

DIEGO VELASQUEZ

Published by

THE GREAT ARTISTS

Given away free with the ‘THE GREAT ARTISTS’ magazine series

THE BATH

1925

By

PIERRE BONNARD

Published by the

TATE (Gallery)

NEGATIVE NUDE

1931

LAZLO-MOHOLY-NAGY

From the exhibition titled:

EYEWITNESS – HUNGARIAN PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE 20^TH CENTURY

Royal Academy of Arts – 2011

Published by the

ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS

FEMALE NUDE

Circa 1979-91

GEORGES SEURAT

Published by

THE COURTAULD GALLERY

Ref: C-42291X

FEMME QUI TIRE SON BAS

1894

By

TOULOUSE-LAUTREC

Published by

AS DE COUR

Ref: 000TL

00177

LEAD WHITE

1997

By

MARLENE DUMAS

Published by the

TATE (Gallery)

PLEASURE BY CORSET

By

JOHANNE RYDER

Published by

SHOOT THAT TIGER

Ref: J.R.6

ANDROMEDA “ENTWURF FUR EIN TITELBLATT DER”

JUGEND, 1987

MUSEUMSBERG FLENSBURG

Published for a travelling exhibition  

(DARMSTADT, BERLIN, MUNCHEN [Munich])

called:

HANS CHRISTIANSEN – DIE RETROSPEKTIVE

PINK NUDE

By

HENRI MATISSE

Published by

MUSEUM CARDS b-v – AMERSFOORT, HOLLAND

Ref: 195

THE ODALISQUE

By

FRANCOIS BOUCHER

Published by

THE GREAT ARTISTS

Given away free with the ‘THE GREAT ARTISTS’ magazine series

JUDITH, 1901

By

GUSTAV KLIMT

Published by

THE GREAT ARTISTS

Given away free with the ‘THE GREAT ARTISTS’ magazine series

NUDE STUDY

By

SIR WILLIAM ORPEN

1906

Published by

LEEDS MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES (CITY ART GALLERY)

AUTOSODOMISIERTE

JUGENDLICHE JUNGFRAU – 1954

By

SALVADOR DALI

Published by

TUSHITA FINE ARTS GMBH

Ref: TFA 7484

Dali was never one to shy away from controversy, and the title and depicted artwork were surely deliberately designed to cause offence. This may be the only real reference to sodomy to appear on a postcard, but I would not be surprised to find out that I am very wrong about this.

STRIGILS AND SPONGES

1879

TRAIL PROOF ETCHING ON PAPER

By

LAWRENCE ALMA-TADEMA

Published by

THE BRITISH MUSEUM

Ref: 2.5M1001

THE BATH OF PSYCHE

exh. 1890

By

Frederic, lord Leighton

 Published by the

TATE (Gallery)

 SEATED NUDE WOMAN, WITH A TULLE BLOUSE

1925

By

HENRI MATISSE

Published by

THE COURTAULD GALLERY

Ref: C-46536X

THE DREAM (IL SOGNO)

c 1533

By

MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI

Published by

THE COURTAULD GALLERY

Ref: C-42277X

WOMAN’S BATH

1496

By

ALBRECHT DURER

Published by

THE COURTAULD GALLERY

Ref: C-43239X

FEMALE NUDE

c. 1916

By

AMEDEO MODIGLIANI

Published by

THE COURTAULD GALLERY

Ref: C-38199X

SALLY

c. 1915

Etching By

WALTER RICHARD SICKERT

Published by

Islington local history centre

ADAM AND EVE

1504

By

ALBRECHT DURER

Published by

THE BRITISH MUSEUM

Ref: 1037559

FRANCESCA DE RIMINI

1835

By

ARY SCHEFFER

Printed by

JUDGES OF HASTINGS

For

THE WALLACE COLLECTION

Ref: C-35367X

THE TEMPTATION OF ST HILARION

1843-1844

By

DOMINIQUE-LOUIS-FEREAL PAPETY

Published by

THE WALLACE COLLECTION

Ref: C-338272X

STATUE EINES SIEGERKNABEN

1911

By

SASCHA SCHNEIDER

Published by

GEBR: KONIG POSTKARTENVERLAG

Printed in Germany

Ref: Best.Nr.: SKD 231

GENESIS 1929-1931

By

JACOB EPSTEIN

Printed by

Abacus (colour printers) ltd, Cumbria

For

THE WHITWORTH ART GALLERY,

THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER

CUPID COMPLAINING TO VENUS

By

LUCAS CRANACH THE ELDER (1472 – 1553)

Sold to support the NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON

Ref: 811295

29/04/2020

NICHT NUR SEEMANNSGARN…

‘Not only Sailor’s Yarn’

HANF & GUT FRIEDRICHSSTR

ENTWURF: BENEDIKT WOHLLEBEN

(‘Entwurf’ means ‘Design’)

Published by

HANF & GUT

This card appears here because it is drug related. The image far right of this design depicts cannabis plant leaves, or more correctly Hemp leaves, which although less an issue than the type of cannabis plant used by addicts, and some people for medicinal purposes, it is still in the UK a controlled substance grown under strict licence.

Interestingly, the topic of ‘Drugs’ was not originally one of the topics I thought about when making this sub-section of the webpage. It was also not amongst the list of items mentioned on the front page (it will be included now that I have put this postcard on the site, so you will see it in future).

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

29/04/2020

CHARLES JOURDAN

PARIS

NARCISSUS AND ECHO BY LAURENT ELIE BADESSI

ZANZI - $765

&

ZODIA - $520

Published by

MAX RACKS

MAX CUSTOM MEDIA

Seems strange to be putting a shoe advert postcard here in the censored section, but nudity is what it is and as I have decided that any form of nudity needs to be placed here then here it goes…

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

21/03/2020

“GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN,

LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY!”

INTERNATIONAL COLLECTORS’ GUIDE

WISHES YOU A VIRUS FREE – 1986

Published by

INTERNATIONAL COLLECTORS’ GUIDE

‘Reserved strictly for subscribers to the magazine

‘International Collectors’ Guide’

Ref: I.C.G. No. 1 – January 1986

(Ref No in stamp box area: J/V507cx)

This is recorded as being the first ever AIDS related postcard release. It was, and still is, quite a collectible postcard, and there is no denying that it is an image that has impact, but, something about this one has always seemed wrong. I think it is the idea of death, or the skeleton which I have always considered to be death, writing the word AIDS on his scythe. AIDS was such a horrific virus, and one which caused so much death and despair, and it destroyed so many lives, not just those who suffered it but also the family members of those with the condition, that this image just seems so wrong. So, I have issue with this card, although I accept that this was early on in the Aids story as it was not really noticed in the US until 1980 and became noticed outside of the medical community during the next few years, but 1986 was an early time. But, when we are struggling our way through a very different virus, one which is killing a completely different segment of our society, I could see some similarities, all be it that I think many people will consider that the current Coronavirus has shut down much more of the world. Is this therefore an appropriate card for posting today? Topically I think yes, but under every other reasoning, then, no. Therefore, this is why it is here, in my Censored section, so as not to cause offence… because if you are reading this you were warned.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

17/03/2020

BALLEPRESSERE

Advert Postcard

Published by

GO-CARD – COPENHAGEN

Ref: # 766

I liked this photograph, its sexual without showing any nudity. It has more class than many of the nude glamour postcard images I have seen. A nice card.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

17/03/2020

ALONS MES ENFANTS!

ANSWER THE CALL TO THE

SOLIHULL POSTCARD FAIR

MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM

8^TH JUNE 1996

Artwork by

JACK FOLLOWS

Promotional Postcard Publicity Postcard

Published by

E. WOOLLEY and G. SAWYER

Limited to 1,000 copies

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARDS

I have had the pleasure of meeting the artist Richard Blake several times, although some years ago now, and had the opportunity to get him to sign a selection of his artwork cards in my collection. He kindly signed all four of the postcards in this set for me. Richard always seemed to sign in blue ink which I think makes his signature stand out.  

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARDS

These two are also signed by the artist

15/03/2020

FUCKING WEIRD

By

EK COMICS

Published by

BOOMERANG FREECARDS, AMSTERDAM

Ref: P21-99

A free rack postcard from the Netherlands. This one is clearly here for its title, which I don’t think you would get away with so easily these days, but I did pick up the tiger one already depicted earlier whilst in London last year, so maybe you could.

02/03/2020

GALERIE IM EINSTEIN

Unter Den Linden

Berlin

PHOTOGRAPHISCHE QUANTENSPRUNGE

RIVAL – UHLIG – LAGERFELD

10. Mai bis 30. September ‘96

Pulished by

DINAMIX

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

02/03/2020

JEANS CLOTHES

JC.

Postcard Produced By

JEANS & CLOTHES, SWEDEN

I have a brother who lives in Sweden and I know a little bit about the country. I do know that they are more liberal than most and as such a clothing company can issue a postcard like this and not cause any stirs.

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

02/03/2020

KERST KAN ZOVEEL

MEER ZIJN DAN ETEN

EN DRINKEN

‘Christmas can be so much more than food and drink’

LEEF BEZETEN

MAAR

BEHEERST

‘Live owned but managed’

Published by

BOOMERANG FREECARDS (AMSTERDAM)

Ref: P25-98

You really can find just about anything on postcards, especially in some European countries, although cards like this have been going into an understandable decline due to current censorship levels and the worlds approach to sexual attitudes  and, to be honest, things like the ‘#ME-TOO’ program. If you are interested in cards like this and others depicted across the CENSORED section of this webpage then try getting them now because as the years move forward, without their being any change, these are going to be harder to source.  

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

02/03/2020

BASTEI

MADDRAX

13^TH STREET – THE ACTION & SUSPENSE CHANNEL

A UNIVERSAL STUDIOS NETWORK

Published by

CITY CARDS

Maddrax is a German science fiction series which commenced in 2000. It is published by BASTEI-LUBBE (Romantruhe) and Zaubermond. This is (was?) published biweekly in a pulp booklet format by the company, although I believe quite quickly this was moved into a book format published exclusively in German (certainly this was only available in German up to 2014, beyond that I don’t know).

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

02/03/2020

WHAT IS HE DOING DOWN THERE?

By

SHAZAM LLC

Published by

HALF MOON BAY,

BATH

Ref: PC3616

Come on! You must admit, that despite this being quite funny there is no way I could put this one onto the main page, not with the images these words bring up. It is the text that makes this a sexual themed image and not the image itself. So, I decided again to play safe and put this here.

Then again of course, he could just be downstairs in the kitchen making a lot of noise... but none of you thought that did you?    

02/03/2020

FEMME FATALE

Published by

ANDERSYORK

STOK-ART. Kaerparken 6, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark,

tlf. 02-876007

Laursen - Tonder  

Ref: motivnr. 6013

FEMME FATALE

Published by

ANDERSYORK

STOK-ART. Kaerparken 6, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark,

tlf. 02-876007

Laursen - Tonder  

Ref: motivnr. 6014

FEMME FATALE

Published by

ANDERSYORK

STOK-ART. Kaerparken 6, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark,

tlf. 02-876007

Laursen - Tonder  

Ref: motivnr. 6015

02/03/2020

THE MAN WITH THE HORN

By

CHARLEY ‘95

Published by

CUNST & COMMERZ – GRATISPOSTKARTENSERVICE

Ref: VERKAUF UNTERSAGT - # 136

I am not entirely sure why I have put this postcard here rather than on the main webpage, but there was just something about the style, an almost racist style of depiction of the man and the monkey, and then there’s the fact that this man is blowing into the elephants bottom! That cant be right, can it?

I do know that this was a free postcard, probably a free rack postcard although that’s not confirmed, and I believe it is a German issue.  

REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE POSTCARD

02/03/2020

NON-POSTCARD

INFORMATION ADVERT ‘FLYER’ CARD

(Post Card Sized)

“NEED HELP DRESSING?”

Beyond Retro - Vintage Clothing for Men & Women

A lovely advert card for a shop in London and Stockholm. The image makes this card worth keeping despite it not being a true postcard, but then I don’t care.

            REVERSE SIDE OF ABOVE ADVERT CARD