Overview
While sometimes described as a secondary sex characteristic, the female breast is of primary interest. It nourishes but also seduces, it is considered sacred or depraved – depending on the era, culture, context and perspective. The way breasts are seen, shown or concealed has been the subject of debate and scandal for centuries. Breasts, in other words, are by no means 'private parts': on the contrary, they're a subject of great public interest. The breast is the organ through which some of the central cultural and political conflicts of Western societies have been conducted, now and in the past. But the power of the breast does not lie in any 'natural' force. It lies in the cultural characteristics that we attribute to it and that make it a symbol of femininity, naturalness, motherliness or sexuality. Zimmermann takes the reader on an extended tour of how the breast and its symbolism are politically constructed. She examines this ambiguous and versatile body part from various perspectives but always with a political question in mind. This is a book about art and pornography, fashion and gender norms, the ideal of motherhood and heteronormativity, body positivity and self-determination, sexism and protest. She shows that the dialectic between revealing and concealing, visibility and invisibility, played out discursively in different fields, is a key to understanding the social, cultural and political significance of the breast. Her book delves into the past, seeking to explain the origins of a conflict that has surfaced again and again in different times and places and is still with us today.
Full Product Details
Author: Anja Zimmermann (University of Oldenburg, Germany) ,
Nicola Barfoot
Publisher: Polity Press
Imprint: Polity Press
Dimensions:
Width: 16.10cm
, Height: 3.20cm
, Length: 23.60cm
Weight: 0.510kg
ISBN: 9781509567829
ISBN 10: 1509567828
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 29 May 2026
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Availability: Awaiting stock
Reviews
""A rich history of the range of messages women’s breasts carry about gender, age, race and the line between natural and artificial. Bodies matter, and breasts tell women who they are and what they can do. This intriguing book reveals how feminist visual artists reimagine and disrupt traditional ways of showing these, the least private of all our body parts."" Helen King, Professor Emerita, Classical Studies, The Open University ""Relying on close visual analysis and an assured grasp of key voices in visual culture criticism, Zimmermann undertakes a compelling case study of how cultural and political stakes have shaped our understanding of “the breast”. What is most impressive about her analysis is her focus on how wildly divergent have been the objectives and philosophies that drive the contest over the meaning of “the breast”. Together with the ease with which she leaps from ancient to contemporary examples, this makes for an illuminating and entertaining ride."" Jacqueline Millner, La Trobe University ""Finally, a book about the unsettling and even revolutionary potential of the female breast."" Mithu M. Sanyal, author of Rape: From Lucretia to #MeToo ""No other part of the body is the subject of so much controversy. Art historian Anja Zimmermann explains the changing symbolism of the breast and what a 'progressive politics of the breast' would be."" Die Zeit ""Not too big, not too small, covered up, but not invisible either – female breasts have always been subject to paradoxical demands. Art historian Anja Zimmermann explains why breasts are still not liberated today."" Der Spiegel ""Anja Zimmermann uses numerous examples from art, history and ethnology, as well as current advertising campaigns such as the launch of a sports bra that showed different breast shapes, to demonstrate how the perception and evaluation of this part of the body has changed over the centuries and that the 'judgements' are almost always made by men: it would be unthinkable to advertise briefs for men with different penises. The female breast is an 'overdetermined body part,' writes Zimmermann, refreshingly advocating for freeing the breast from its many tasks and simply letting it hang."" Missy Magazine
""Finally, a book about the unsettling and even revolutionary potential of the female breast."" Mithu M. Sanyal, author of Rape: From Lucretia to #MeToo ""No other part of the body is the subject of so much controversy. Art historian Anja Zimmermann explains the changing symbolism of the breast and what a 'progressive politics of the breast' would be."" Die Zeit ""Not too big, not too small, covered up, but not invisible either – female breasts have always been subject to paradoxical demands. Art historian Anja Zimmermann explains why breasts are still not liberated today."" Der Spiegel ""Anja Zimmermann uses numerous examples from art, history and ethnology, as well as current advertising campaigns such as the launch of a sports bra that showed different breast shapes, to demonstrate how the perception and evaluation of this part of the body has changed over the centuries and that the 'judgements' are almost always made by men: it would be unthinkable to advertise briefs for men with different penises. The female breast is an 'overdetermined body part,' writes Zimmermann, refreshingly advocating for freeing the breast from its many tasks and simply letting it hang."" Missy Magazine
Author Information
Anja Zimmermann is Professor of Art History at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.
