Nudes in Arts: "The Truth" has many aspects..

Continued from the post.."Nudes in Arts".. click here..
The Truth / 1900..
By Daniel Chester French
I have written about this sculpture earlier.. click here..
Here's another look at "The Truth"..
An attempt to understand the sculpture beyond the story, an a wider context..
Many sculptors used historical, mythological or allegorical representation to exhibit barely clothed women.. The idealized setting made nude sculptures acceptable in societies.. The allegorical context here is that the female represents "Truth".. But under the veil of an allegorical execution, is a very the skillful presentation of a female nude.. And is she really looking at her reflection in the mirror?? Guess not!! She gazes directly at the viewer. And a very arresting gaze! And the drapery partially covers her body in a very sensual way, adding to her beauty..

The drapery has also been used from a technical point of view, to support the weight of the upper body, creating a pyramidal base, which makes the sculpture more stable.. Also the sculptor uses contrapposto, to achieve a more relaxed look..
And what is contrapposto??
Its a technique used in sculptures, where the weight of the figure is one leg. This classical pose gives the body a natural look.. It was created by ancient Greeks.







Also by Daniel Chester French is..
Andromeda, a reclining nude...