Books

We’d wager that there aren’t many art books that begin with by quoting lyrics from a song by Sir Mix-A-Lot. But it’s hard to think of a more apt opening for TASCHEN’s collection of vintage stereoscopic cheesecake photography than his importal line, "I like big butts and I cannot lie".

This appears at the top of former Juggs-editor editor Dian Hanson’s lengthy and fascinating introduction to this coffee table book, which does an excellent job of introducing potential pygophiliacs to the long history of the use of female buttocks in art (dating back to the oldest known piece of human sculpture) and the rise of 3D, from the stereoscope up to the 3D motion picture. Along the way, Hanson also tackles corsetry, buttock implants, spanking and Jennifer Lopez with regards to their importance in discussing the sociological impact the portrayal of female buttocks has had in Western civilization.

Only then is it time to delve into rest of the book, a bumper collection of 110 photographs celebrating the ‘anaglyph age of bumptious bottoms’. While the majority of the featured pin-ups are unknowns, fans of vintage cheesecake photography will find a few familiar faces (and other body parts) including Gloria Dawn and the legendary Bettie Page.

As you’d expect from TASCHEN, the actual quality of the photographic reproductions is excellent, while the heavy paper stock and lenticular cover give the book a wonderfully luxurious feel. As for the 3D itself, it actually works rather well, with the stereoscopic photography showcasing plenty of depth thanks to the skilled anaglyph conversions done by Jon Schnitzer and his talented team at The Brain Factory.

Naturally, the subject matter means that no matter how beautifully it may be presented, The Big Butt Book 3D is destined to remain a niche publication. But there’s no denying that it’s exceedingly well presented and – in all honesty – is a lot more interesting and fun than many of the 3D films we’ve had to suffer through.

The Big Butt Book 3D, TASCHEN, £24.99 (hardback) 
HCC VERDICT: 3.5/5