Ranging from classical to contemporary eras, this art instruction manual presents a historical overview of the depiction of women in drawings, paintings, sculpture, and photography. The highly detailed study is generously illustrated with black-and-white photographs, line drawings, and reproductions of paintings by Botticelli, Rubens, Vermeer, and other masters. More than 100 reference photos, referred to as "The Standard Poses," offer an additional resource for figure study.

Suitable for intermediate to advanced students of art, the two-part treatment examines modes of dress and their appearance in art, followed by the reference photos. Topics range from drapery studies and the structure of dress to the anatomy of the body and the skeleton. Contemporary poses portray all aspects and positions of the body in action as well as repose and include a section on hands and gloves.