Western Art History and nudity - Essay Example

The nude as a central in Western art history Introduction Art is a way through which people find channels (Danto, pg 574) and means of making life beautiful. However, it lacks the best description because it involves many things. Among them are traditions and technological trends. Artists describe the artistic world as that which has a real connection with culture and all events that happen in the present world. In this case, business aspects have won the heart of many artists. Ideally, artists have to show off their creative works to the public and watch out for the criticisms and other responses. This helps he artists to understand the needs of people in relation to their culture. This is the history of art because it is the mother influence. There are so many art movements. However, looking at a few of them can be helpful in understanding the whole question. Fauvism is a French art that was famous among the Avade-garde painters. This type of art was the first of to change the perception about the traditional kinds of painting. It positively incorporated nature’s impression as well as bright colors to make the paintings attractive (Stewart, pp. 65).Ideally, this movement in comparison to the German expressionism; it was a true stage for change as well as offering learning experience. In addition, both fauvism and German Expressionism were described by their utilization of bright colors and the spontaneous brushwork. However, they slightly differ in that the French artists valued the formal design of pictures while Germans attached the emotional value in their paintings. The images emphasize and show relation to true-life events. Cubism began from the description of the geometric schemas cubes, which were paintings on exhibition in Paris. Though it does not refer to any art style or movement, its description has a great influence on all art movements. Purism was an improved version of Cubism because of the intense use of paint. A further explanation by the artists created a divide amongst people in that they misunderstood the true meaning of artwork. This movement was a tool that artists relied on to reform France by using simple art impressions. Nude art first began in Greece for religious and athletic festivals (Miller, 2004). The word nude brings pornography in mind. However, nude painting is a form of creativity in art while the nude photo has to do with pornography. The misconception brings confusion when artists display such creativity to the public. Nudity is an expression of art where the images (Lindquist, pp. 87) appear with or with little clothing that cover the private parts. Such images portray meanings that the public can relate to life events. This kind of art is very rampant in the Western art history. In the medieval art, the use of nude images was to express emotions. Literally, the art meant something was pure, originally innocent or a sexual desire if not shame. However, every artist has its own way of bringing the meaning clear with such images. Some cultures associate themselves with such nudity as part of their culture. This depends with how the dress appears. In other communities, they are used for ritual purposes. Historically, nude is the most common form of art in the western history (Hauser, pp.22). Therefore, each display whether male or female had its own meaning. In Greek culture, a male nude image meant heroism and gods. Female nude images represented goddess of love and a form of sexual desire. This artistic impression declined when Christianity picked up. Interestingly, religious art used nude images too. However, in their context, nudity was associated to shame. Good example is the Adam and Eve situation where they eat the forbidden fruit and felt shameful of their nakedness. Social, institutional and aesthetic conventions of art consider themselves as the true pillars of art. It I true that art has a deep root in social term in that people from different backgrounds appreciate their nature. However, the artists use the nude art to oppose such innuendos. They believe that sue of such images still depict the aesthetic values across all cultures. According to them, their artwork still impresses a certain culture that may not favor another. Through the painting, clear communication is passed across to the target group. Given the current technological prowess, the influence has spread so fast to other regions that practice cultures that are against such painting. Apart from culture, Christianity and other religions are against this kind of drawing. They claim it is corrupting social well being and nature’s beauty. Each type of art is unique and nothing has fully defined any of the branches of art; painting, music, sculpture, poetry and ballet. A strong protective argument gives the artists the free will to practice nude art. They believe that each art has its own way of expression. Judging all them under one category or by basing on one point proves the social, institutional and aesthetic conventions wrong. Artists have for a long time in history used nudity to criticize the social, institutional and aesthetic thinking. According to Taylor, aesthetic supports one side. It gives a false impression to learners in that they can think it is the only way of expressing art ideas. Through his description, Taylor supports free artisan. He wonders; what is the reason of strongly criticizing an art sculpture from Africa when you have grown up knowing sculptures from Europe? Those who know it best explain the message in every artwork. He defends all types of art by saying that if you get to see the true sculpture that is being criticized it is easy to get the true assumption that surpasses general descriptions. Artists are using naked bodies in their artwork (Gotshalk, pp. 99) to represent the growing level of corruption, moral decay and unworthy expectations from the society. However, so many feminist movements see such nude as a move to demoralize the women, exposing them as romance tools and demoralizing them (Perry, 1999). Artistic creativity proves such accusations wrong because they drive their point home through that kind of painting. The sexual urge seems to have won the current generation’s heart (Hutter & David, pp. 122). Very few can differentiate the thin line between art and pornography materials. Artists are taking the opportunity of using nude picture to educate the public. The social norms any form of nudity as pornography. This kind of thinking has influenced how people see art in such a painting. Drawing and any other form of art uses nudity to understand the human body. It is a way of learning. Artists argue that being nude (Heilbrun & Charles, pp. 54), M is showing your nakedness to others but not by yourself. This makes an individual see nude as an art and not a form of sex. The society in general enjoys the use of human images and videos in adverts, movies among other things. It is high time they appreciate nudity as part of nature. This is because everybody is comfortable with his or her nakedness and thus must find it easy to relate it to art. There is a misunderstanding because many people tend to relate any nude image to sex. This causes total confusion and steals the true meaning of this art. Conclusion Art is a talent that is used to express feelings, life-events, cultural and other social practices. Through the essay, nudity or the nude originates from the Greek and has since then been the art in the Western History. Through it, so many issues that affect the society have been addressed. Even with critics from religious groups and other individual researchers, it still holds its value. Work cited Danto, Arthur. “The Art world.” The Journal of Philosophy61, no. 19 (1964):571-84. Gotshalk D., W. Art and the Social Media. New York: Dover Publications. 1962 p. 99. Hauser Arnold. The Sociology Art. Chicago: the University of Chicago Press. 1982 pp. 21-22. Heilbrun, J., & Charles, M., G. The Economics of Art and Culture. Second Ed. New York: Cambridge University Press. 2001. Print Hutter, M. & David, T. Beyond Price: Value in Culture, Economics and the Arts. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2008 Lindquist, S., C., M. The Meanings of Nudity in Medieval Art. London: Pearson. Print Miller, Stephen. Ancient Greek Athletics. New Haven: Yale University Press. 2004 Perry, G. Gender and Art. New York: Yale University Press. 1999. Print Stewart, A., “Greek Sculpture” in M Kemp, edn, The Oxford History of Western Art. New York: Oxford University Press. 2000. Print. Taylor, S., C. as quoted in W.K. Wimsatt. The Verbal Icon. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. 1954 p.81 Read More