Product Description

Zaftig is a Yiddish word meaning ripe or luscious, and is commonly applied to curvaceous women. This book celebrates these women principally through its many reproductions of paintings, and through quotations from those who argue for the attractiveness of zaftig women.

The arguments for feminine substance are arranged thematically, and include an attack on the cult of thinness, a defense of zaftig as a natural state, an exploration of eras such as the Victorian age, in which abundance was preferred, and an examination of subcultures in which heavy women rule, as on the opera stage.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #700266 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-01
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 144 pages

From the Inside Flap
Zaftig is a Yiddish word meaning ripe or luscious, and is commonly applied to curvaceous women. This book celebrates these women principally through its many reproductions of paintings, but also through quotations from those who argue for the attractiveness of zaftig women.

Some of the painters reproduced are: Rembrandt, Titian, Correggio, Lord Leighton, Diego Rivera, Rubens, Renoir, Reginald Marsh, Picasso, Giovanni Bellini, Ingres, Klimt, Mucha, Tamara de Lempicka, and Camille Bombois.

The arguements for feminine substance are arranged thematically, and include an attack on the cult of thinness; a defense of the zaftig as a natural state; an exploration of eras, such as the Victorian age, in which abundance was preferred; and an examination of subcultures in which heavy women rule, as on the opera stage.

About the Author
Edward St. Paige is an author and picture researcher who lives and works, in an old, beached ferry boat on the shores of Lake Superior.

His books include Ferry Traffic on the Great Lakes (1968), Ice Fairs and Carnivals (1971), G.K. Chesterton and the Labor Movement (1973), Dogs in the Service of Their Country (1978), Women in Trollope's Novels (1984), Durer and the Human Body (1989), and A History of Dreaminf (1992).

He collects old magazines, and is at work on a series of books in which he ezamines various aspects of our social history from the advertisements, articles, and illustrations found therein.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
The gods and goddesses of the ancient world were visualized and have been traditionally portrayed, as humans of exceptional beauty and grandeur. The fact that so many of them are, by our standards, richly voluptuous reflects the admiration that the artists had for women so formed; it is testimony to how various artists and cultures have conceived feminine beauty.

Customer Reviews

Waited 30 years!
FINALLY! As a healthy zaftig woman, I have suffered the indignities & prejudices, been on every diet known to (wo)man since 1970, only to gain more...the most gain of all with today's "low fat" theory...then flipped the coin and tried fat acceptance, subscribing to the mags and buying the books. Some help, but this fabulous look at these beautiful...no, stunning...women of art is the FIRST thing, in 30 years, that has me holding my head high and looking at my body in an entirely new way. By gosh, I think I like it! The paintings themselves say it all, the quotes and author's comments are bonuses. I can't stop looking at the Renoirs and have, in fact, ordered several prints that will be proudly displayed prominently in my home. Shame be gone, "Zaftig" shall remain on my coffee table where I can see it every day. Egads, I'm S-E-X-Y! You ladies who know the routine I described re diets, etc, BUY THIS BOOK. Men, if you're having a hard time convincing your wife she looks beautiful "just the way she is", BUY THIS BOOK (she just might not want the lights out all the time!). Everyone buy it for every zaftig woman you love. A true liberator!

Fat is Fabulous- Take a Look!
I could not believe my eyes when I found this wonderful book. Here was the evidence I had been looking for- fat is beautiful. Artists through the ages have painted (what we consider)large women. This is a lovely collection of some fine examples. It was so uplifting to look at. There are some inspirational quotes throughout. My only negative point- and it is only minor, is that the minature essays by the author aren't quite as impressive. Don't worry, go back and look at the paintings, they speak for themselves. I really can't convey how important this work is, especially to all us fat women out there that have a suspicion that they are beautiful but just need the proof!

It's wonderful to be a woman!
After reading this book I no longer felt ashamed that my body isn't akin to Twiggy or Kate Moss. Soft curves and a healthy body are a wonderful formula according to the author -why must we emaciate our feminine attributes? Buy this book for the woman you love, it's a healthy alternative to starvation diets and malnutrition.