ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the varied notions of the nude female form in examples of Ottoman and Arabic books that were produced during the long nineteenth century. During this period before any regional engagement with Western notions of the artistic Nude in the twentieth century, erotica (in its varied forms, including manuscripts, drawing, print culture, and photography) served as the central site of engagement with notions of gendered nudity and beauty. Through a visual analysis of three examples of this genre (specifically those produced on presses in Istanbul), this chapter makes the argument that depictions of nudity in these works was utilized by members of regional groups as a way to negotiate shifting perspectives on class, beauty, and sexuality.
