Narcissism in Art

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Girl Before a Mirror by Pablo Picasso (1932)

Girl Before a Mirror, painted by Pablo Picasso in 1932, depicts a women admiring her appearance in the reflection of a mirror. The women's elongated arm reaching to touch the image represents the vanity she has for herself because her arm looks as if she is embracing the image in the mirror. Picasso portrays her body as disproportionate and unbalanced. Because she is so involved with herself the disproportion of her body doesn’t seem to matter. When the woman stares at the reflection in the mirror the image she sees is only of herself and her “perfection”; she doesn’t see the environment around her. Picasso shows that people are blinded with their own egotism. The image the woman perceives is dark and melancholy, but the women actually think highly of herself because of her “blindness.” Her narcissistic manner prevails because she feels sorry for herself and strives for something better.

Historically, the world was faced with many during and post-World War I obstacles. Many countries were in the midst of rebuilding their governments and economies. During World War I, Russia faced The Russian Revolution where the struggle for power between the Tsar and the Bolsheviks erupted. The people of Russia on March 8, 1910 protested by shouting “Peace and Bread” throughout the streets (Duiker 698). They, like the Girl Before a Mirror, endeavored for a new life and reforms. Pablo Picasso demonstrates the strife for something better of the women through he's choice of colors. People during World War I felt the same as this woman: dissatisfied and longing for the past. Picasso shows the vanity of women, a theme common in previous art pieces, like Velazquez's painting Rokeby Venus. This shows that people throughout time have believed that women are now narcissistic.

Duiker, William J. and Jackson J. Spielvogel. World History ed. 5th. United States: Thomas Wadsworth, 2007. 698.

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No matter what time period, people have always been obsessed with themselves. People feel a connection with others when they feel that others care about how they look, what they are doing, and how they feel. In the past, when forms of communication were more limited, artists and writers portrayed the human tendency of narcissism through paintings, sculptures, and literature. As art has progressed women have been portrayed as narcissistic. These pieces of art connect to the history of each time period: independence from the Catholic Church, naturalism and humanism during the Renaissance era, post-World War I obstacles, Manifest Destiny in the United States, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and feminist movements of the 1960s. The worst part is often times, people are not aware they are being narcissistic.

As art and time has progressed the view of narcissism has evolved towards women. As seen in The Feminine Mystique, written by Betty Friedman in 1963, women have always been inferior to men (Duiker 801). Because of this setback women were viewed as more concerned with their outward appearance instead of their innate ability to influence society. Because of this there has been a change in the perspective of women as seen in Diego Velasquez' painting Rokeby Venus and Pablo Picasso's A Girl Before a Mirror. This objectification of women as being narcissistic is seen in "The Perception of Female Beauty in Art" by Carly. Contrary to today's perception that women's physical perfection is to be as thin as possible, during the Tang Dynasty in China women were supposed to be "plump and voluptuous" (Carly). The author shows that the interpretation of the ideal women has changed throughout time and varies with each culture similar to "Narcissism in Art."

Avery, the author of "Perceptions of Beauty" argues that the ideal conception of a beautiful person has evolved throughout time similar to the "The Perception of Female Beauty in Art" by Carly Olszewski. In Queen Marie Antoinette by Adolf Ulrich Wertmuller, finished in the 1780s, the author demonstrates materialism of the royal family due to their lavish dress, hairstyle, and way of life. Now not only is body type, shape, and beauty viewed as narcissistic but materialistic items as well. Queen Marie Antoinette is dressed in a extravagant gown with elaborately coiffed hair. Even her children are dressed in decorative clothing. The author also argues that "the daughter [of Marie Antoinette] is looking toward the son for direction" showing the inferiority of women to men during the 18th Century (Avery). As seen, narcissism can be defined by the changes of the outlook of beauty.