Femme Fatale: Images Of Evil And Fascinating Women

by Patrick Bade

Femme Images of Evil and Fascinating Women [Paperback] Patrick Bade (Author)

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, History

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

Reviews

[Dat-Dangk Vemucci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting essay on the prehistory of the femme fatale archetype. The author observes a difference between pre-Freudian femme fatales like H. Ridger Haggards Ayesha and those that came after, like the vamps of noir movies. The author calls it a "loss of innocence" and it's hard not to agree; no author today could write 'She' in the complete conviction and sincerity which Haggard did. Maybe this is the quality which lead Jung to pronounce it a"genuine dream," uncensored and unreflexive.
Beautiful pictures and appreciated the scholarly overview of a particular strain of misogyny throughout art history.

[Meenal Manolika]

should not have shocked me but apparently most famous artists (the who's who of art history) from the late 19th century held some amazing, profound, very insightful views on the innately evil nature of women, out as they all were ensnaring men for marriage or spreading syphilis in brothels. captured forever in paint, these images slowly trickled into modern formats like film and advertisement. this book gave me this information. the prose is whatever though.

[Karl Hallbjörnsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Devoured this one in between study sessions today. A very interesting historical treatment and the art itself is quite captivating. Would like to acquire my own copy some day.

[Stephanie Warnement · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book explores how the femme fatale theme in European art and literature took off in the late 19th century and evolved into mainstream advertising and cinema. It's interesting how a lot of the earlier artists in this genre had this attitude about woman that was reflected in their work portraying them as evil and destructive. It's an interesting read.