The Pursuit Of Beauty Through Artifice. Research help. Fine art context.?

Question

The Pursuit Of Beauty Through Artifice is my thesis title.
I need some suggestions on research material. Artifice meaning - make-up, cosmetic surgery, and dieting. I need to answer this title in a Fine art context... Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Try looking up the artist Orla, who uses her body as a 'canvas'. She has had extensive surgery, tattoos and piercings to adjust her appearance.

You could post a question on Answers asking general questions on the subject of beauty and treat it as a survey. That should throw up some interesting answers.

Answer 2

artifice (syn. ruse) is a deceptive manoeuvre (especially to avoid capture) as my dictionary says.
In art, artifice is deception, like a trompe-l'oeil in painting, a flash-back or "black light" in cinema, etc. In painting -which is my domain- you should look at Velasquez, Vermeer, and many other classical painters who were masters in trompe-l'oeil, or then at the surrealists.
I think this would be a better ground for your research than cosmetic surgery or dieting.
Good luck!

Answer 3

Yes... you could look at some Renaissance paintings ... some Botticelli .... and the ladies wore beautiful velvets, pearls, and things in their hair .... carried flowers ...
Hope that is a start for you ... If you can, go to a large museum and look at the paintings of that era ... it would be a good day trip and a break from all your books!

Peace & Love