MAPPLETHORPE VON GLOEDEN : BEAUTY AND DESIRE
(english edition)

This volume pays tribute to Robert Mapplethorpe, one of the foremost figures in 20th-century photography, through an unprecedented comparison with Wilhelm von Gloeden and the Fratelli Alinari: an evocative, at times precise, comparison that reveals the recurrence of common themes. The interest in Antiquity and the sculptural approach to the photographic medium come to life in the choice of subjects, the definition of poses, and the suspended atmospheres of the compositions, leading to the discovery of an unconventional idea of beauty and eros. The photographs, inspired by the canons of classicism, invite reflection on the themes of the body and sensuality, and offer insights into how art, morality, and spirituality continuously change and evolve in their reciprocal relationship.