originally published 12/1/1993

Artist and professor Ted Prescott explains the history of portraying the nude human body in art and contrasts it with the way the naked human form is often used in advertising. The traditional, artistic form of the nude often captures a sense of the fullness of humanity and an essential goodness to the human body, Prescott says. A persona is present in the nude form, often along with historical, mythical, or religious allusions or dimensions. By contrast, advertising portrays bodies as anonymous and one-dimensional in a way that trivializes the human form, which is reduced to a fashion accessory.

This interview was first published on Volume 6 of the Mars Hill Tapes. It is part of a series of Archive Features on the human body that were produced in late October 2024. On the Archive Features page, sort the order by “Newest features first” to find this group of features.

9 minutes

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