The Sculpture Machine: Physical Culture and Body Politics in the Age of Empire - Hardcover

Budd, Michael Anton

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0814712665 ISBN 13: 9780814712665

Publisher: NYU Press, 1997

Synopsis

During the early 1800s, inventor James Watt occupied his final years attempting to develop a mechanical system for copying sculptures of the human body. Though Watt's sculpture machine was never completed (and would, in any event, have eventually been made obsolete with the advent of photography), Watt's quest serves as an incisive metaphor for the subsequent body politics of the nineteenth century. As the modern world emerged, contemporary conceptions of physicality remained rooted in the classical tradition as they were simultaneously influenced by the technological forces of industry and revolution.

From Victorian reform to post World War I physical efficiency, Michael Budd's The Sculpture Machine traces this tension between the atavistic and modern in an engaging narrative analysis of physical culture. Budd foregrounds the rise of physical culture postcards, magazines and products by examining longstanding traditions of strength performance and the growing popularity of music hall body builders in the late 1800s. In the physical culture media itself, he uncovers elements of the consumer dynamic that shaped the 20th century tabloid-press as well as early gay-coded publications. From the 1830s through World War I, bodies were increasingly articulated as objects that could be shaped and repaired. Budd's insightful work deftly illustrates how ideas about bodies influenced the building of social, racial, gender and sexual identities in concert with the construction of a larger consumer culture.

About this title

About the Author

Michael Anton Budd is Assistant Professor of History at Bradford College.

Review

"This is the most powerful and original book on adolescent development I have read in recent years. Pride in the Projects is beautifully written, rigorously researched, and passionately argued."
-Greg Dimitriadis, author of "Friendship, Cliques, and Gangs: Young Black Men Coming of Age in Urban America"

"Recommended for professionals in every field who work with urban youth as it offers valuable insight into teens' formation of identity and the factors that can influence that development."
-"VOYA",

"This book offers fresh perspectives on a range of issues."
-"Choice",

"The most powerful and original book on adolescent development read in recent years... beautifully written, rigorously researched and passionately argued."
-"University of Virginia",

"Pride in the Projects will be a valuable resource for those interested in engaging a holistic view of the everyday lives of youth and serves as a powerful reminder of the knowledge gained when we privilege the voices of those we are striving to understand."
-"The Journal of Youth and Adolescence",

Edition details

• Publisher: NYU Press
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0814712665
• ISBN 13: 9780814712665
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 352