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The essence of female physique is a fleeting spirit
I've been fascinated by the female physique since i was a little boy, and having read my uncle's copy of Hogarth's human anatomy lying about on his shelves then.
Over the years i have studied, compared between genders and even come to a conclusion after looking at Da Vinci's works - female nude goes beyond the mechanisms of limbs and torsos. So i reckon the reason why more female nudes are preferred in paintings, is not only one of an educated tradition, but artists look beyond the flesh and into the spirit of the female entity.
To me, i've come to experience the Tao of "gentility amidst steeliness" when i work with female figures (with whatever opportunity i can get), and honestly i find this quality something difficult to capture everytime...it's kinda like "now you capture it, now you don't". This is unlike drawing male nudes, where formula and technique alone seem to be adequate in capturing its life.
Right now i can only think of Sargent as the best person who understands and captured this very essence on his paintings very well. How artists like him managed to transcribe this enigmatic quality, remains a question for me to discover. Do you feel that way too?
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