Madame X By John Singer: Painting Analysis

Throughout time people are observed becoming offended by the same types of images, for the same reasons. Although societal convention and practices might change throughout time and between locations, there are clear trends in what the populous finds to be offensive.
Madame X was a painting by John Singer painted in 1884. This painting features and attractive woman in a long, sultry, dress. She is posed looking away, but also stepping forward. This portrait was considered one of the most offensive at the time, due to her ‘suggestive pose’. Some even considered it vulgar. This painting currently lives at The Met, where the average person today would not consider it to be particularly offensive.
Tennis Girl was not considered controversial until almost 40 years after it was first taken. This photograph was taken by Martin Elliot in 1976. It shows a young Fiona Butler (now Walker) in a tennis outfit, walking away, …show more content…
Those who found these images offensive were upset by idea that God is compared to anything other than their ideal. The variance comes in again in the details. In Self Portrait offence is taken to the idea that someone would compare themselves to God, whilst in The Creation of God offence is taken that god is no longer a white male. Although these differences exist, the truth remains that people were uncomfortable seeing God in someone that they were not used to. The Gross Clinic is a painting by Thomas Eakins done in 1875. It shows Dr. Samuel D. Gross in a surgical amepheater at Philadelphia’s Jefferson Medical College performing surgery on a patient while students observe and the patient’s mother turns away in horror. This painting was hated from the start due to it’s gory nature. Some even claiming that it “ought never to have left the dissecting room.” This piece is on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in their permanent