Feet-Ishism

By Hans-Jürgen Döpp

How is it that the foot and the toes are credited with such strong sexual connotations? Do they represent something out of the ordinary to the human subconscious? How otherwise could these unremarkable parts of the body seem erotic? And what has their appeal to do with the Eternal Mystery that is Woman? Often left uncovered, in former times when total nudity was forbidden or considered unseemly, the foot and its shape allowed the imaginations of observers to roam wild. The only part of the body of a woman occasionally visible (unlike those visible normally or those never visible normally), it inevitably became a symbol for the whole body, as fantasized. These are the questions to which Hans-Jurgen Dopp here applies himself, supporting his conclusions with a remarkable collection of rare illustrations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Parkstone International
• Release date: Jul 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644618042

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Baseline Co. Ltd

Ho-Chi-Minh-City, Vietnam

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No part of this publication may be reproduced or adapted without the permission of the copyright holder, throughout the world. Unless otherwise specified, copyright on the works reproduced lies with the respective photographers, artists, heirs or estates. Despite intensive research, it has not always been possible to establish copyright ownership. Where this is the case, we would appreciate notification.

ISBN: 978-1-64461-804-2

Hans-Jürgen Döpp

Feet-Ishism

Contents

1. Watercolour, from an English notebook, 1880

2. Rojan, Voyeurs, around 1930

3. Photo of a young Parisian girl, around 1900

4. Photo, Paris, around 1900

5. Léon Bakst, La Sultane Jaune, 1916

6. Valentin Serov, Portrait of the Princess Olga Orlova, 1911

7. Zinaïda Serebriakova, Dancer’s Dressing-room: Snow Crystals, 1923

8. De Monceau, watercolour, around 1940

9. Léon Bakst, costume design for Potiphar’s wife, La Légende de Joseph, 1914

10. Egon Schiele, The Green Stocking, 1914

11. Gustave Courbet, Woman in White Stockings, 1861

12. Giorgione, Judith, around 1500

13. François Boucher, La Toilette (detail), 1742

Reviews for Feet-Ishism

[clifforddorset · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of a series of medium-length essays written by Döpp and later published by Parkstone in larger format under the title 'Erotic Fantasy' (2006). Each essay is copiously (and gloriously) illustrated in excellent colour with examples of art intended to compliment the subject matter, and it is mostly these illustrations which accompany the essays in the synoptic work. 'Feet-ishism' is something of an exception, in that the individual volume is much more profusely provided – delightfully so - than the collection. It thus becomes a beautiful and charming little gem of an art book, dedicated to considering broadly specified aspects of fetishism, focussed mainly around women's clothing, including its donning and doffing. Shoe fetishism maintains pride of place, as would be expected. An excellent small volume, beautiful in its portrayal of the various aspects of love and concentrating on the erotic symbolism of clothing.