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Essay on Standards and Perceptions of Male Bearty Throughout History

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Throughout history there have been many changes in the standards and perceptions of male beauty in Western culture. The portrayal of the male form throughout time, in art and sculpture, reflects the culture’s morals, values, and beliefs, among other things. In paintings and sculptures, artists depict the qualities in men that are important to the time period of their works. Perceptions of male beauty and their image can also represent a person’s social status in society, such as being noble, rich, or both. The male themes seen throughout art include heroes, the supernatural, biblical figures, and idealized bodies, to name a few. Some of the time periods that illustrate the importance of male beauty and image are the Baroque period, …show more content…

The bodies of these men show the importance Neoclassic society placed on portraying the ideal male body from Greece. “The male figures have taut muscles and determined gazes and the repetition of the male form symbolizes their unity and seriousness” (Bluffington.edu). The men in this painting also appear statue-like, another characteristic of the Neoclassic male image. Transitioning from Baroque to Neoclassicism, the male form went from portraying the average, everyday male to focusing more on showing the strength and heroism of men.
Continuing on after the Neoclassical period one can continue to see the male image in art evolve as well as societies changing standards and perceptions in the Romantic era. Romanticism rejected the ideals of Neoclassicism and the Enlightenment. Western culture began to shy away from the order and reason of classical beliefs and became interested in natures unruliness, natural goodness of mankind, and emotional expression. Romanticism was also triggered by changes in science. In paintings, artists of Romanticism used a more expressive and individualistic style as opposed to the idealized image of Neoclassicism to portray their men. “In art and literature, 'Romanticism' typically refers to the late 18th century and the 19th Century” (reviewpainting.com)
A romantic painting to analyze is Friedrich’s Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog (1818). This painting shows the male figure alone in

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