The cover on this book is a bid misleading, as it might give one the impression that it's about vintage nude photography, but this is more about erotic art from the 19th and early 20th centuries, which includes photos, drawings, and paintings. It specifically features artwork that accentuates the beauty the of the buttocks, both male and female. And much of the material is quite sexual. That's the real treasure here - many of the images a rare gems of erotica that must have totally dazzled the original audience, but still possess the power to titillate modern-day viewers who might not otherwise be so easily impressed. The text provided by Döpp is very interesting and despite his academic background is very readable and informative. The "backside obsessions" of such luminaries as Goethe, Mozart, Rousseau, and de Sade are lighted upon in marvelous fashion.
All-in-all this is an excellent piece of vintage erotica that's visually stunning as well as intellectually stimulating ... without being overly clinical or academic.