Gender is a social and cultural conception of being male or female. The presentation of gender in art often depicts the divide between the social and sexual identification of being masculine and feminine. The roles of males and females have been contested throughout history and has been prominent subject of experimentation in the arts. Although contemporary artworks play a crucial role in advancing the equality of women in society, artworks, especially that of Gustav Klimt, in the past have portrayed women within a constrained niche.
Gustav Klimt was an Austrian painter that lived during the late 17th century and the early 18th century. Born to a gold engraver and a novice musical performer, he exhibited artistic talent early on in his childhood …show more content…
At initial glance, the photo appears to be a striking piece illustrating the celebration in Times Square of a new age of optimism and harmony after the Japanese surrender in World War II. It depicts “a U.S. Navy sailor grabbing and kissing a stranger, a woman in a white dress,” later identified to be a nurse named Greta Friedman (V-J Day Kiss). When asked about this iconic kiss, she states “That man was very strong. I wasn’t kissing him. He was kissing me” (Daily Mail). After more analysis of the photo, the forceful nature of the kiss becomes evidently clear. The firm grip of the man’s hands around the petite woman, making it impossible for her to escape, the woman’s fist clenched tightly onto her dress, and her limp body now under the command of the powerful man are all details that analogous to the descriptions of the couple in “The Kiss.” Both are models of society’s prejudiced notion of women to be submissive beings under the control of dominant men. Although these pieces evidently showcase men subjugating women, they are still hailed today to be iconic representations of love and happiness. In the first case, an artist was stirred to paint a scene showing a woman submitting to a man’s forceful kiss and was acclaimed for his masterpiece. In the other, a photograph of sexual assault was so admired that it is known as one of the 25 most iconic photographs in history according to CNN. The refusal to recognize that these works are bigoted demonstrates society’s flawed
Gustav Klimt was an Austrian painter that lived during the late 17th century and the early 18th century. Born to a gold engraver and a novice musical performer, he exhibited artistic talent early on in his childhood …show more content…
At initial glance, the photo appears to be a striking piece illustrating the celebration in Times Square of a new age of optimism and harmony after the Japanese surrender in World War II. It depicts “a U.S. Navy sailor grabbing and kissing a stranger, a woman in a white dress,” later identified to be a nurse named Greta Friedman (V-J Day Kiss). When asked about this iconic kiss, she states “That man was very strong. I wasn’t kissing him. He was kissing me” (Daily Mail). After more analysis of the photo, the forceful nature of the kiss becomes evidently clear. The firm grip of the man’s hands around the petite woman, making it impossible for her to escape, the woman’s fist clenched tightly onto her dress, and her limp body now under the command of the powerful man are all details that analogous to the descriptions of the couple in “The Kiss.” Both are models of society’s prejudiced notion of women to be submissive beings under the control of dominant men. Although these pieces evidently showcase men subjugating women, they are still hailed today to be iconic representations of love and happiness. In the first case, an artist was stirred to paint a scene showing a woman submitting to a man’s forceful kiss and was acclaimed for his masterpiece. In the other, a photograph of sexual assault was so admired that it is known as one of the 25 most iconic photographs in history according to CNN. The refusal to recognize that these works are bigoted demonstrates society’s flawed