The Eternal Body: A Collection of Fifty Nudes

Ruth Bernhard: The Eternal Body originally published in 1986, is the first collection of Bernhard's finest nudes to be presented in a single, elegantly bound monograph. The photographs selected - many of which have never been exhibited - unveil the full range of her genius.
Bernhard's intense, studied camera work has produced images of the human form that clearly transcend the boundaries between the spirit and the flesh. This collection expresses her lifelong passion to understand the effects of light on the body and to reveal it in its purest form. Each radiant photograph contains a classic perfection, giving it a sense of the eternal and making it a timeless masterpiece of the human figure.
Complete with an insightful overview of Ruth Bernhard's work and life by Margaretta Mitchell, this timely reissue of a landmark volume offers the viewer a stunning array of fifty master prints by one of the most significant artists of our time, revealing a unique and personal vision of the human body that is as breathtaking as it is profound.

Ruth Bernhard (1905–2006) was one of the most significant photographers of the twentieth century.

Margaretta Mitchell is a photographer who exhibits internationally.

Karen Sinsheimer is curator of photography at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.