Why is it nowadays that we find nude figures in art so confronting? And why is it that there is a seemingly huge difference in reaction to male and female bodies? The acceptance of nudity in art, when considering the difference between male and female bodies, appears to have changed throughout history. When nudity in art first occurred, it was mostly men who were displayed naked. In fact, it was quite taboo to have a woman naked in an artwork until much later.
When nude women did start becoming more common in art it was still not popular for a very long period of time. It can easily be observed over recent years that this has completely turned around. Women are definitely displayed more in artworks in the nude. Not just in art but also in the media. It is very hard nowadays to read any sort of magazine, newspaper or advertisement without seeing the portrayal of the ‘perfect’ woman. Any other type of body is not acceptable or, at the very least, not appealing or not our idea of beauty. It seems we can accept good-looking women wearing hardly anything but we cannot accept anybody seen as overweight, elderly or what is defined as ugly.
There could be many reasons why we find nudity so confronting. What we each uniquely perceive as beautiful or ugly is mainly what it comes down to. However, these ideals of beauty are influenced and manipulated by key factors such as the media, culture and religion. Religion can play a part in many people’s decision on whether nudity is admired or rejected. In an interview with photographer and digital artist Renata Ratajczyk who often... The rest of this article is available to subscribers of Eyeline
