What happened in the history of art, and in the history of the way men look at women.?

Question

I'm not looking for someone to do my paper for me, but rather someone to give me a few pointers. I want to know what I need to focus on, and how to present it on paper. The two paintings show a great difference how men look at women as the world changes. How did it get there? How did the beautiful Mona Lisa turn to a woman that's not so desirale in most people's eyes? Please focus on the history of how male look at female. Thanks.

The two paintings are Da Vinci's Mona Lisa and Williem de Kooning's Woman V. How did it get there?

Answer 1

I have a classical figure - big bottom, thighs and breasts with a small waist. By todays standards I have an unfashionable figure. However I have never had any problems with men finding my body attractive. I dont think mens views have changed I think fashion has changed and will change back again one day, maybe in a century who knows?

Answer 2

What two paintings are you talking about?
I would suggest you take a look at the Guerilla Girl's Bedside companion to the history of art.
In a nutshell, historically women were portrayed as objects - most often nude and looking away or in a sleeping pose. Early 19th century we see the nude change (see:Manet's Luncheon on the Grass) men are clothed, the woman is still nude but looking directly at the viewer challenging them.

Re: the Mona Lisa I'm not sure what you mean other than the change in what is considered beautiful and fashionable - plucking one's eyebrows out completely is not the signifier of beauty that it once was :)

Answer 3

It pretty much depends on what at the time was considered to be beauty.

Its been said that the Mona Lisa (Madonna Elisa Gherardini) was just a portriat that her husband wanted a painting of her, not really because of her looks.

For the greeks and the Renaissance period it was all about harmony, the natural beauty.
Now in this days beauty its in the eyes of the beholder, its bassically on what its awaken in ourselves.

Answer 4

you need to focus on a subject that is less vague and broad - your title needs to be a specific question or you'll be writing an essay for the rest of your life.

it might be worth starting with what some consider to be the first representation of the female form in art - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_of_Willendorf

In more modern examples, try Ingres' Turkish Bath: http://www.artchive.com/artchive/I/ingres/turkbath.jpg.html with issues of objectification.

Cindy Sherman's whole body of work expresses modern views of female self-image, but maybe you're not looking for anything like that?

There's also the approach of changing fashion / public tastes for different types of female body, illustrated pretty well by looking at anything by Rubens et al, through to modern art.

as you can see, I haven't really touched on the subject here and already i'm rambling, so get yourself a more specific title before you start.

good luck!

Answer 5

Queen Victoria happened. It has colored our view of women ever since.

Answer 6

Boy, who knows?