Antiek sculptuur van naakte man 1677 - 1737

This engraving of an antique sculpture of a nude man was created by Cosimo Mogalli, an Italian artist who lived between 1667 and 1750. During Mogalli's lifetime, representing the male nude was a demonstration of skill, connecting artists to classical traditions, while also reflecting the gendered politics of the period. Sculptures of nude men often served as symbols of power, beauty, and idealized masculinity. What does it mean to depict the male nude in a way that emphasizes vulnerability rather than dominance? Looking closely, we can see that the man’s gaze is directed downwards, avoiding the viewer’s gaze, and his gesture is a sign of offering. Mogalli’s engraving prompts us to reconsider the relationship between nudity, power, and representation. It invites us to question whose bodies are idealized in art and whose stories are told.