Of course a picture is worth a thousand words.

As much I am against the degrading use of the female body to sell consumer goods, as much I was surprised to see the pictures from this online catalog.

Is this a degrading use of the male body ? Is there an absolute need for this nudity? Where is the line between art, provocation and "objectivising" human bodies for marketing? What a delicate question to answer.

Genesis of the question ...

Every month, I receive the Canadian House & Home magazine. A beautifully decoration magazine, source of many decoration ideas for my house. At the very last page, there is always a page entitled "Trend Watch". There was a pair of outrageously attractive green shoes from Rodolphe Menudier. From magazine to Internet, I surfed the site to fall on this catalog all dressed or undressed in blue.

With my spouse and favorite photographer (who's been teaching photography for 25 years), we conversed at length on the human body as object of advertisment. Still no precise idea on where to draw the line came out of our discussion and still so many unanswered questions.

And you, what do YOU think of all this. Gorgeous shoes, but still ...