Albert Arthur Allen was a prolific photographer and although his photos remain, there is very little written about him. This book is almost the only source of information about Allen and his work. The photography reproduction is first class and the text, although a bit puffy, is really the only way to see who Allen was. I hope this increases interest in Allen's work. Some see him as an early pornographer, others see him as a visionary artist who discovered a genre that, before this, only was available in... more info
A TRUE MASTERPIECE!!!:
This book is masterpiece! It might even be one of the most important books on nude photography ever published - it's that good. First of all, it's a huge and scholarly look at the life and work of photographer Albert Arthur Allen. The first forty or so pages are all text describing the life and times of the photographer. The information is fascinating and will prove quite insightful to anyone interested in the 1920's and 1930's, especially from an artistic and photographic perspective. And then there are... more info
Opens with a general history of American nudism:
Albert Arthur Allen's Premiere Nudes is a 'must' for any collection following the history and presentation of nudes in photography: it opens with a general history of American nudism and follows Allen's contributions and many different images in particular, packing full-page black and white images throughout.
You know the poster; you probably don't know much more:
Albert Arthur Allen's works in the book are from the 1920's. I had a poster at home of one of his pictures, but never made the connection until I got the book. The pictures are in the style of artist's studies, with full frontal nudity. This actually got him continually in legal problems since that type of picture was forbidden in the time of Comstock and his fellow travelers seeking to make the world safe from such 'disgusting immoral pictures'. Most of the women are Caucasians and the background reading... more info
