Edited by Susan Davidson, the monograph is the first comprehensive publication dedicated to Wesselmann s most famous body of work, the Great American Nudes (1961 73), which combines sensual depictions of the female figure with references to art history and popular culture. The book will include full-color reproductions of each artwork in the series (totaling one hundred numbered works, plus proofs, and all color variations for editioned works), as well as related drawings, studies, and relevant works from associated series. Tom Wesselmann (1931 2004) was one of the leading American Pop artists of the 1960s. Departing from Abstract Expressionism, he went on to explore classical representations of the nude, still life, and landscape, while incorporating everyday objects and advertising ephemera.

Art historian and curator Susan Davidson is an authority in the fields of Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, and Pop art, with special expertise in the work of Robert Rauschenberg. She has been engaged with Rauschenberg s practice since 1990, serving as a curatorial advisor to the artist from 2001 until his death in 2008, and as a board member to the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation from 2009 until 2014. She has produced numerous exhibitions and publications on the artist.In her previous role as Senior Curator at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York (2002 17), Davidson oversaw the stewardship of the institution s collection in addition to organizing notable exhibitions. Rachel Middleman is professor of Art History at California State University, Chico. She teaches courses in modern, contemporary, and American art history.