Bibliograph

Postures, body language in art, Desmond Morris

Type

Label

Postures, body language in art, Desmond Morris

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (page 308) and index

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Postures

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

1112379391

Responsibility statement

Desmond Morris

Sub title

body language in art

Summary

Examining the body language displayed in works of art is a whole new way of looking at art. The gestures portrayed can reflect the mores of a particular period in history, the customs of a certain culture or a fashion in artistic styles. Exploring these with masterful subtlety, celebrated artist and anthropologist Desmond Morris uncovers fascinating insights about changing social attitudes and conventions through history and around the world, finding surprising similarities as well as now rarely used gestures. Morris selects a number of key gestures, such as the handshake, the pointed foot, or the glove-slap, and groups them by the message they are intended to convey, such as Greetings, Status and Threats. He discusses the previously unconsidered symbolism behind these. What is understood as a gang sign today may have borne a more enigmatic meaning for Botticelli. And what did Napoleon's hidden hand really mean? 'Postures: Body Language in Art' uniquely combines the author's expertise in both art and social science, so that even the most familiar paintings are suddenly seen in a new light

Table Of Contents

Greetings -- Blessings -- Status -- Insults -- Threats -- Distress -- Self-protection -- The erotic -- At rest

Classification