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Bridget
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| Posted: July 14 2005 at 7:28am | IP Logged
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I do not want to do a search for this, I can only imagine what would come up. 
Does anyone know why nudity in art was acceptable enough that the great artists painted nudes? Were they considered a scandal in their time? What were the artists motives for painting them?
I've been removing pages from our art books. Naturally I want to preserve my children's innocence. it occurred to me that previous generatons did not have the cultural problems we have. Maybe they viewed the nudes in a more innocent way. But my children have been largely preserved from the culture. No TV, no institutional schooling... maybe I could present some of these prints to them without damage.
I just don't know. Modesty is an important virtue that we all strive for here. My children feel strongly about being modest and guarding their eyes. I would hate to undermine that.
How do others handle this?
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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cathhomeschool
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| Posted: July 14 2005 at 10:20am | IP Logged
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We've avoided the issue so far. I paperclip together any inappropriate pages in books, and the kids respect that. I'd like to know how others explain this to their kids too.
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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Meredith
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| Posted: July 14 2005 at 10:49am | IP Logged
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Well, this is a tricky one because I'm sure that many have very different ideas about what's acceptable and what's not. For our family (meaning my husband and children) and keeping in mind my children are 9, 6.5, 3 and 2mo.s we haven't really made a big deal out of it. My daughter, the oldest did ask about Michelangelo's David and why he was *nudey* and I told her that was how they were taught to sculpt in his time. Many of the frescoes in Europe in many cathedrals have nude cheribs and so far they haven't thought much of it. My *feeling* is that if we don't make a big to do over it and grab a picture away from them to hide it, they probably won't care or notice it for more than what it is, which is Art.
Now on the other hand, pictures in magazines of scantily clad women are absolutely NOT OK in our house. Nor are they aloud to see ANYTHING objectionable on TV, and that includes Disney. When we visit local art museums, we just cruise past anything considered a *nude* and move on to the next gallery or just exit quickly.
I'm interested to know how everyone else responds to this one. I'd love some of the historical side questions answered too as I really don't know why they were inclined to paint and sculpt in such a manner either. I DO know from travel experience that Europeans in general have a VERY different view on nudity than we Americans do, what about Australians? Leonie???
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Meredith
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MicheleQ
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| Posted: July 14 2005 at 6:33pm | IP Logged
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Bridget wrote:
I do not want to do a search for this, I can only imagine what would come up.
Does anyone know why nudity in art was acceptable enough that the great artists painted nudes? Were they considered a scandal in their time? What were the artists motives for painting them?
I've been removing pages from our art books. Naturally I want to preserve my children's innocence. it occurred to me that previous generatons did not have the cultural problems we have. Maybe they viewed the nudes in a more innocent way. But my children have been largely preserved from the culture. No TV, no institutional schooling... maybe I could present some of these prints to them without damage.
I just don't know. Modesty is an important virtue that we all strive for here. My children feel strongly about being modest and guarding their eyes. I would hate to undermine that.
How do others handle this? |
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Bridget,
I was just reading the section in JPII's Theology of the Body that addresses nudity in art. I cannot hope to do it justice in explaining it here but I am scanning that section into my computer and will send you the link when I'm done. An important thing I got from his writings was that we must strive to "maintain an atmosphere favorable to chastity,". It sounds to me like that is exactly what you are doing. I would say above all pray for discernment and follow your instincts on this. Better to err on the side of caution in safeguarding your children's virtue and purity, than to open a door that cannot be shut.
God bless!
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Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
http://michelequigley.com
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Meredith
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| Posted: July 15 2005 at 1:41pm | IP Logged
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MicheleQ wrote:
| I would say above all pray for discernment and follow your instincts on this. Better to err on the side of caution in safeguarding your children's virtue and purity, than to open a door that cannot be shut. God bless! |
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Michele, that was beautifully said and is exactly what we are trying to do in our family (although I certainly did not convey it so eloquently in my post above  ) You can NEVER get the innocence back, kind of like uncorking a champagne bottle. Thanks for your post.
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Meredith
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Bridget
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| Posted: July 15 2005 at 2:28pm | IP Logged
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Thank you, all, for thinking this over with me. Seems every day there is something new to figure out.
Michele, I would love to have that link and read what JPII had to say about it, thanks!
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday
Topic: Nudity in Art
