Female Breasts Essay
Female Breasts
In many works of art throughout history, female breasts have been featured
prominently and in the nude. The symbolic meaning credited to the breast was
usually associated with fertility and nourishment, both spiritual and physical, and in
the wider sense, with life. Eroticism, nourishment, abundance, expression, feminine
power, as well as feminine subservience, are different contradicting themes of the
breast played out in time.
Different reiterating views of its importance and the way it should be displayed are
used to reflect upon the views of women of the time and life in society in general. At
times, it is near worshipped as a sign of sexuality, or as a sign of nourishment. Other
times it is restricted down, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The apodemos, a linen article worn by the Hetaerae, was considered to be the first
brassiere (Silverman, Website). It, however, usually compressed the breasts instead of
accentuating them, reflecting the anti feminine views of the time.
With the rise of Christianity, the breasts and the flesh in general were discouraged
from being exposed. With rounded bellies gaining popularity, the stomach was
considered to be more of an important center of female sexuality (Broby Johansen,
1968, p. 131).
This was modeled after the Virgin Mary whose round belly contained the savior
(Yalom, 1997, p. 40). It wasn t until the fourteenth century and the Renaissance that
this began to change. Explosive creativity and art occurred despite great famine
and disease. As people became more frolicsome, clothing became more revealing.
Such clothing including lowering the neckline to show cleavage (Latteire, 1998,
p. 31). In the seventeenth century, the breasts once again became the center of
female attractiveness over the belly. The breast stood as a symbol of power and
wealth at a time when mercantilism was on the rise in Europe (Latteire, 1998, p.
32). The corset, which was previously used to flatten the breasts, was used to push
in the stomach and push up the breasts (Winston, Website). Louis XIV of France s
personal taste was a factor in this, as he demanded lower necklines for all the court
women. He considered it a sign of respect to