Karl Struss
1886 – 1981
Nude draped in gauze
Dimensions: 21.59 cm x 12.38 cm
Medium: Hess-Ives color print
Date Created: 1917
Karl Struss was a well known American photographer and cinematographer who made most of his work within the 20th century. This piece is from a series of photographs published in 1917, featuring 48 photographs of the female figure. The images within the series all center themselves around the nude female body, often depicting women in intricate dance-like poses similar to those used in Renaissance and mannerist art. In this particular photograph, Struss uses a nontraditional tricolor Camara, Hess-Ives, that makes the image look painted and further emphasizes its connection with conservative classical tradition. The image’s ethereal appearance, nondescript background, and the subject’s nudity suggest an aspect of timelessness within the work that is also emphasized by the images’ unrealistic lighting. The lighting falls primarily on the subject’s chest, emphasizing her breasts while also illuminating her transparent veil, allowing the viewer to see her body partially covered while casting a large portion of her face in shadow. Through his choice of lighting and see-through fabric, he imposes an air of mystery on to the subject while also imposing a restraining timelessness on her through his choice of pose and photographic technique. Ultimately, Struss seems to strip reality away from the photograph and its subject, leaving us with his idealized perception of the female nude.
