Pygmalion, who according to the ancient myth, was a sculpture who fell in love with his own creation. This photo would really mess him up.

Pygmalion, according to the ancient myth, was a sculpture who fell in love with his own creation. This photo would really mess him up.

I like this photo.

How similar they seem. Even Pygmalion would have a hard time deciding which one was the statue, and which the real flesh and blood female. But what I find most interesting about this photo is how the naked girl on the left might be considered porn by some, whereas the statue on the right, equally naked but made of marble, is perfectly acceptable. Again, one of my major questions is, where does porn end, and art begin? It is a question that often has no answer, which is one of the reasons I find it so intriguing. I also enjoy observing how apoplectic the neo-puritans become over what they perceive to be improper sexual images and themes in art or literature.

Again, it is wonderful how very similar both the nude woman and the depiction of the nude woman, in stone, actually are. The statue shows just how skillfully and subtly a good sculpture can create the softness of the female form. A true master knows how to mold his material in the most deceptive way possible. This photo neatly shows the tension between art, which is often considered an imitation of life, and life itself.