The copyrights of all images displayed on this web site are held and owned by Dianora Niccolini
and any unauthorized reproduction or use of these images is a violation of federal and international copyright laws and therefore illegal.
Dianora Niccolini was born in Florence, Italy, to an American mother and a father from an old Florentine family. She lived in Florence throughout the second world war, and at the age of almost nine years old, she came to the United States.
When she turned 18, she left home and came to New York City to study art. She met a group of dancers and her passion, in her late teens and early twenties, was ballet. Not until she met Weegee, in 1963, did she take up photography. Since then, Dianora's professional career and focus has been photography. In 1973, she began to create photographic bodies of work which resulted in exhibits. Her first photographic exhibit was in 1974. It was a serious study of the female nude. Her second exhibit was in 1975. It was a study of the male nude which was favorably reviewed by Gene Thornton in The Sunday New York Times of December 7, 1975. One of her first male models was an African-American body builder. His photographs have been included in many photographic anthologies and were also widely exhibited in the mid seventies and pre dated Mapplethorpe's images of body builders by several years.
Dianora Niccolini's male nude images have definitely influenced many photographers. She is considered to be one of the female pioneers of the male nude in photography. Dianora continues to photograph the male nude, and 15 of her photographs, as well as the cover, were included in THE MALE NUDE book by David Leddick and published by Taschen in 1998. David Leddick's most recent book, MEN IN THE SUN, published by Universe/Rizzoli in 1999, also includes several of her photographs including the front and back covers. Dianora's creative venue is primarily photography, but she paints as well. In 1977, she exhibited the Mona Lisa Recycled series (mixed media) in which she combined her painting skills with her photography. These images were hand generated, not computer generated. They predated computer generated art by several years.
Dianora prides herself in exploring and stretching artistic boundaries. She believes that art is an open ended experience with infinite possibilities. She attributes her love of art and creative daring to her Florentine upbringing. Her 20 years of experience as a medical photographer contributed as well to her love of the perfect form. Ms. Niccolini has had two photographic books published WOMEN OF VISION, Unicorn Publishers-1982, and MEN IN FOCUS - Morgan & Morgan, in 1983). Two more books are pending. Dianora Niccolini was the first president of THE PROFESSIONAL WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHERS, which she served from 1979 to 1984. Under her leadership, PWP became recognized as a leading professional organization for women photographers. She has taught photography at the Germain School of Photography, The New York Institute of Photography, The New York Institute of Technology and at The Learning Annex.
HISTORY OF THE NUDE IN PHOTOGRAPHY, Arthur Goldsmith. Ridge Press. 1975
WOMEN PHOTOGRAPH MEN, D.Hayes. Wm. Morrow. 1977
WOMEN SEE MEN, McGraw Hill. 1977
NEW AMERICAN NUDES, Morgan and Morgan. 1981
THE MALE NUDE IN PHOTOGRAPHY, Vermont Crossroads Press. 1981
WOMEN OF VISION, Morgan and Morgan. 1982
DAS AKTFOTO - Munchner Stadtmuseum. 1985
FRAUEN SEHEN MANNER, Peter Weiermair. 1985
FULLY EXPOSED : THE MALE NUDE IN PHOTOGRAPHY, Emmanuel Cooper. 1990
THE BODY, Wm. Ewing. 1994
TRADITION AND THE UNPREDICTABLE. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. 1994
MALE NUDES BY WOMEN, P. Weiermair. 1995
EROS, Stewart Tabori and Chang. 1996
KOBE AID FUND WORLD PHOTO. Eikoh Hosoe. 1996
THE MALE NUDE, David Leddick, Taschen. 1998
1st INTERNATIONAL BIENNIAL OF CONTEMPORARY ART.Trevi Art Museum. 1998
HOMME, Michelle Olley, Carlton. 1999
ADONIS, Michelle Olley, Carlton. 1999
NAKED MEN TOO, David Leddick, Rizzoli/Universe. 2000
EXPOSED, Phil Braham, Thunder Otilde's Mouth Press. 2000
NAKED MEN NOW, David Leddick, Rizzoli/Universe. 2001
BLACK BEAUTY, Janssen Publishers. 2001
REVIEWS AND LISTINGS
THE VILLAGE VOICE, Centerfold. Dec. 19,1974, Aug. 5, 1976, March 4.
1981
POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY, Mar. 1974; Aug. 1975; Oct. 1976
ARTS MAGAZINE. Oct. 1974
THE NEW YORK TIMES (Arts and Leisure section), A.D. Coleman. Sept.
22, 1974
THE NEW YORK TIMES (Arts and Leisure section), Gene Thornton. Dec.7,
1975
35MM PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE,Summer 1976
SATURDAY REVIEW, May 1979
AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHERS, Les Kranz. 1989
WHO'S WHO IN PHOTOGRAPHY, Five Corners Publications Ltd.1991-1992
MARQUIS' WHO'S WHO IN AMERICAN WOMEN. 1977- 2000
MARQUIS' WHO'S WHO IN THE EAST. 1979-2000
MAGAZINES
APHRA, VOL.6, NO.1 WINTER. 1974-1975
PHOTOGRAPHIC APPLICATIONS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. Jan. 1975
FUNCTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY. June 1978
AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER, "The Undressed Man", Vicki Goldberg. 5/26/79
POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY'S "HOW TO" MAGAZINE. 1979
POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY, April 1978
FUNCTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY (Contributing Editor- "At Large") 1980
NEW YORK PHOTO DISTRICT NEWS (Contributing Editor- Reviews) 1980
FV-FOTOGRAFIA de GLAMOUR, Portfolio, (Spanish magazine).1995/ 1-2 Ano
8/ #78
FOTO PRO. Portfolio, (Italian Magazine) Aug. 1992
BLUE MAGAZINE. Portfolio. Australia. Feb. 1999
ONE-WOMAN EXHIBITIONS
209 Photo Gallery, NYC,NY. DOUBLE EXPOSURE 1974
The Third Eye Gallery, NYC, NY. "THE FEMALE NUDE" 1974
Top of the Stairs Gallery, NYC, NY. "THE FEMALE NUDE" 1974
The Third Eye Gallery. NYC, NY. "THE MALE NUDE" 1975
The Third Eye Gallery, NYC, NY. "THE MONA LISA SERIES" 1976
The Third Eye Gallery, NYC, NY. "POP PHOTART" 1977
The Y Arts Council, Phil., PA. "POP PHOTART" 1978
The Floating Foundation of Photography, NYC, "MONSTER SERIES" 1979
Steve Bush Gallery, NYC. "THE MALE NUDE" 1981
The West Broadway Gallery, NYC. "PHOTO ALTERATIONS" 1981
The Photographics Unltd. Gallery. NYC." IN LOVING MEMORY" 1981
The Camera Club, NYC. "EMERGENCY" 1981
The West Broadway Gallery, NYC. "MEN WATCHING" 1982
The Overseas Press Club, NYC. "MEN IN FOCUS" 1983
The Impulse Gallery, Provincetown, Ma. "MEN IN FOCUS" 1983
The Throckmorton Fine Art Gallery, NYC. "THE MALE NUDE" 1998
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
International Photo Optical Show - Wash., D.C., 1974
International Photo Optical Show - Chicago, 1974
The Interchurch Center, -Women Photographers of NY- NYC. 1974
Women's Interart Center, -A Summer exhibit of photos- NYC. 1974
The Camera Club of New York, Women Photographers of NY, NYC. 1975
South Street Seaport Museum, Women Photographers of NY, NYC. 1975
Donnell Library, Women photographers of NY, NYC. 1975
Manufacturers Hanover Trust, Women Photographers of NY, NYC. 1975
Union Carbide Building, Women Photographers of NY, NYC. 1975
Fashion Institute of Technology, Breadth of Vision, NYC. 1975
Neikrug Gallery, There is No Female Camera, NYC. 1975
The Third Eye Gallery, New York Eyes, NYC. 1976
The Italian Consulate, Italian American Artists, NYC. 1976
ICP, First Annual Spring Show, NYC. 1976
ICP, Women Photograph Men, NYC. 1976
The Third Eye Gallery, Influx, NYC. 1976
The Third Eye Gallery, Who's Who in Photography, NYC. 1976
Witkin Gallery, Photography Auction to Refloat the Floating Foundation of Photography, NYC. 1976
Women's Interart Center Sectional Images, NYC. 1977
Union Carbide Building, Volunteer Service Photographers, NYC. 1977
Neikrug Gallery, Rated X, NYC. 1977
Images Gallery, Group Show, NYC. 1977
Marcuse Pfeiffer Gallery, The Male Nude, NYC. 1978
The French Embassy, Volunteer Service Photographers, NYC. 1978
The Floating Foundation of Photography, Foods and other Pleasures,
NYC. 1979
Neikrug Gallery, Rated X, NYC. 1979
Fotoforum, International Group Exhibition, Czechoslovakia. 1980
Neikrug Gallery, Rated X, NYC. 1980
Pratt University, Photofusion,NYC. 1981
MIT Creative Photography Gallery, Group Show, Massachusetts. 1981
80 Centre Street, Generations, Views by Women Artists, NYC. 1982
Foto Gallery, Male Nudes, S. Wales, UK. 1983
Silver Image Gallery, The Nude, Seattle, WA. 1990
Gallery Stendhal, True Love and Other Stories. NYC. 1991
Jacob Javitz Federal Building, Visual Individualists United, NYC. 1992
The Museum Of Fine Arts, The Allan Chasanoff Photographic Collection, Houston, Texas. 1994
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, The Body, Montreal, Canada. 1997
The Curcio Spector Gallery, The Male Nude, NYC.1997
Neikrug Gallery, Rated X, NYC. 1993
Throckmorton Fine Art Gallery, Male Nude (mini retrospective), NYC. 1997
Trevi Flash Art Museum, First International Biennial, Trevi, Italy. 1998
Culturgest Museum of Fine Art, The Nude, Portugal. 1999
Fraser Gallery, The Figure in Photography, Washington, DC. 2001
Fraser Gallery, Gallery Artists - Opening Group Show, Bethesda, Maryland. 2002
BOOKS
WOMEN OF VISION. Dianora Niccolini, Unicorn publishing. 1982
MEN IN FOCUS. Dianora Niccolini, Morgan & Morgan. 1983
BIG FUN WITH BILLY. D. Leddick, Dianora Niccolini, Universe/Rizzoli. 2001
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
The International Center of Photography (ICP), New York, NY.
Erie Art Center, Pennsylvania.
The National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC.
The Alternative Museum, NYC, New York.
The Museum of Fine Arts, (The Allan Chasanoff Photographic Collection), Houston, Texas.
The Throckmorton Fine Art Gallery, New York, NY.
The Fraser Gallery is proud to represent the fine arts photography of genre pioneer Dianora Niccolini, and all of her available work is for sale through the gallery. Please click on the buttons below to see examples of her work.
The copyrights of all images displayed on this web site are held and owned by Dianora Niccolini
and any unauthorized reproduction or use of these images is a violation of federal and international copyright laws and therefore illegal.