Its interesting how women's bodies have been portrayed in art throughout time.
Think about one of the earliest examples of art, the Venus of Willendorf. This small figure was the epitome of beauty at that time, heavy and well fed to show wealth and keep them warm, a perfect body for bearing children. This figure, as "deformed" as it may appear to many people in this 2015 culture of long legs and small waists, is an example of prime female beauty during the time it was created.
As time progressed on, the idea of "beauty" changed and shifted, showing different ideas of beauty in different cultures throughout time. The Greeks favored healthy looking females, often with pale skin and high brows, as are shown in their sculptures and paintings. In contrast, the Egyptians were pleased by long dark hair and long necks, believed to be the symbol of beauty and represented in their artwork, often through extreme exaggeration of the female figure. As cultures changed, so did the standard of beauty, which can be seen in the artwork of the time.
Think about one of the earliest examples of art, the Venus of Willendorf. This small figure was the epitome of beauty at that time, heavy and well fed to show wealth and keep them warm, a perfect body for bearing children. This figure, as "deformed" as it may appear to many people in this 2015 culture of long legs and small waists, is an example of prime female beauty during the time it was created.
As time progressed on, the idea of "beauty" changed and shifted, showing different ideas of beauty in different cultures throughout time. The Greeks favored healthy looking females, often with pale skin and high brows, as are shown in their sculptures and paintings. In contrast, the Egyptians were pleased by long dark hair and long necks, believed to be the symbol of beauty and represented in their artwork, often through extreme exaggeration of the female figure. As cultures changed, so did the standard of beauty, which can be seen in the artwork of the time.
Although a nude female figure was often considered the epitome of beauty in many ancient cultures, portrayed frequently in many different cultures and periods of art, there has always been some controversy regarding the subject. One of the most well known paintings of all time, "The Birth of Venus", portraying a nude Venus emerging from a shell, actually caused a serious amount of controversy for Brunelleschi when it was first created. During this Renaissance period, a time characterized by a strong surge of the Catholic belief, many people found the exposure of women in such a way sinful, and Brunelleschi himself actually burned many of his paintings believing he would go to hell for his portrayal of a nude figure. Other artists also experienced backlash for their portrayal of nude figures in their work, and many modern artists still feel limited and restricted in their work in fear of not being able to sell or promote their work.
Even more so, many schools and other educational facilities have begun to restrict art shown and learned about in classrooms, dubbing some as too "inappropriate", often due to nude portrayal of women. Similarly to how much religious art has been restricted in classrooms, paintings such as "The Birth of Venus" and other nude work has been been prohibited from being shown in schools, and student work that has sexual concepts or nudity has also been restricted from student exhibitions, sometimes even leading to punishment or backlash for the student themselves. This just shows a long standing issue that is not just relevant to modern times, the belief that a woman's body is a sexual object and should be covered in order to prevent distraction and sinful lust. This belief is incredibly offensive, restrictive, and simply wrong.
In honor of National Women's Day, I just wanted to say that women's bodies are beautiful. Every woman's body is different, and thats what makes every person a work of art in themselves. Modern times have seen an upsurge in people being more comfortable with their sexuality, everything from the Victoria's Secret Fashion show to transgender women to people fighting back against restrictive dress codes, and I think that's incredibly beautiful. In a simple sense, women are becoming more comfortable with their bodies, and despite living in a society where shouts of "nice ass" can still be heard in the streets, it is incredible to see women being comfortable with themselves and their bodies. I can only hope that society continues to advance until women are accepted completely as equals, rather than being told what they cannot do because their bodies are too "weak" or what they cannot wear because their bodies are too "sexual."
Looking at art through the ages, you can see that people have always considered the female figure beautiful, even if it was controversial or considered "a sin". Even though we, as women, still live in a society where we are often considered secondary to men, remember this is WRONG, and be so grateful that this idea is quickly changing, leading to a more equal society. So, on this National Women's day, do something that makes you feel beautiful. Rock those booty shorts. Run 10 miles. Paint a nude figure. Wear that red lipstick that makes you feel kick ass. Whatever it is, you are beautiful, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Rock on ladies!
Even more so, many schools and other educational facilities have begun to restrict art shown and learned about in classrooms, dubbing some as too "inappropriate", often due to nude portrayal of women. Similarly to how much religious art has been restricted in classrooms, paintings such as "The Birth of Venus" and other nude work has been been prohibited from being shown in schools, and student work that has sexual concepts or nudity has also been restricted from student exhibitions, sometimes even leading to punishment or backlash for the student themselves. This just shows a long standing issue that is not just relevant to modern times, the belief that a woman's body is a sexual object and should be covered in order to prevent distraction and sinful lust. This belief is incredibly offensive, restrictive, and simply wrong.
In honor of National Women's Day, I just wanted to say that women's bodies are beautiful. Every woman's body is different, and thats what makes every person a work of art in themselves. Modern times have seen an upsurge in people being more comfortable with their sexuality, everything from the Victoria's Secret Fashion show to transgender women to people fighting back against restrictive dress codes, and I think that's incredibly beautiful. In a simple sense, women are becoming more comfortable with their bodies, and despite living in a society where shouts of "nice ass" can still be heard in the streets, it is incredible to see women being comfortable with themselves and their bodies. I can only hope that society continues to advance until women are accepted completely as equals, rather than being told what they cannot do because their bodies are too "weak" or what they cannot wear because their bodies are too "sexual."
Looking at art through the ages, you can see that people have always considered the female figure beautiful, even if it was controversial or considered "a sin". Even though we, as women, still live in a society where we are often considered secondary to men, remember this is WRONG, and be so grateful that this idea is quickly changing, leading to a more equal society. So, on this National Women's day, do something that makes you feel beautiful. Rock those booty shorts. Run 10 miles. Paint a nude figure. Wear that red lipstick that makes you feel kick ass. Whatever it is, you are beautiful, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Rock on ladies!