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EUT 222E ART HISTORY

MIDTERM ASSIGNMENT

An Outlook To Publicity Images

Zeynep abuk
020130290
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Armani Exchange Publicity Images

Image 1

Image 2
Venus And Adonis Themed Oil Paintings by Titian and Christiaen van
Couwenbergh (16th 17th century)
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Image 3

Image 4
One of the
most

influential and elegance clothing brand of our century, Armani generally uses
sexual and romantic images on its advertisements. Publicities are also influential and
effective just like the brand as Armani in the community. Why is publicity of
Armani always using perfect-shaped bodys in a romantic kind of scene? On the other
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hand, what is the perfect body? How is it created, how do we perceive the
perfection due to some kind of visual-tricks? Another crucial question is; why
always sexuality is being used?

Depending on a extensive history, perception of beauty has changed according to

centuries and cultures. In our century; which is a game that playing by the rules of
capitalism, beauty concept takes form by media and of course its element; publicity.
Due to publicity, skinny body, long legs, large breasts are suitable for perfect
woman, muscular body, tough stence and boned face are the definition of perfect
man. As a contemporary brand; Armani uses that perfect bodies as we see in the
publicity images above. That kind of bodies are one of the enviable part of the
image which would make you satisfied by yourself.

Publicities are using sexuality which is a very basic incentive for humans to make
people buy more than they need. The body of woman is used to adress this incentive.
Poses of the models (see image 1 and 2) points romantic relation between man and
woman which feels so extraordinary with the lighting, decoration of the first image
and the seaside scene of the second image. Mimics of models which are insensible
and unclear, are also creating a fantastical atmosphere. Black and White effect is a
feature that reminds classical and elegance old times.

Publicities are not only trying to sell the products they advertise, but also trying to
transpose a life style. In this life style, the buyer must be the one that looks perfect for
others to feel perfect. The buyer can only reach the happiness and glamour by
purchasing and consuming.

Venus and Adonis themed oil-paintings (see image 3 and 4) based on a myth. Two
crucial mythological character in paintings; Strong and attractive man; Adonis with
his spear and symbol of the woman beauty, graceful and in love Venus.

If we compare carefully with the Armani advertisement images -that belong to

present- with Venus and Adonis themed oil-paintings -that belong to several
centuries ago-, we can realize many similar factors that they both have.
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Fictional atmosphere in a common point of the advertisements and the oil paintings.
Decoration and lighting effects in the advertisement and mythological elements in the
paintings are both used to create an unrealistic, special area on spectators mind.
Another similarity is sexuality. Woman body is still using for reach sexual incentives
of human. Romantic poses of characters, attractive bodies -that are consistent with
age- strong postured man and aesthetic looked woman.

Both in the Armanis publicity images and in the oil paintings, a mythological sense
has tried to be generated. That proves the method of visual images has not changed
dramatically for centuries. They all try to adress enthusiasm of human.

Despite that kind of common points, there is a dramatic difference between them.
Altough they both have the same methods, they adress different kind of sense. Oil
painting was the symbol of wealth. It was a way to show of owners possession.
Publicty is a way to show the things that spectator does not have. It indicates the more
happy and enviable version of buyer, which is creating a dissatisfaction about self.

Comprehension about beauty, wealth, happiness or satisfaciton changes by centuries

but there are considerable things that never changes; methods of transposing them.
Devices and aims are striking in the past and present. That points a constant property
of mind. Perception can be changed, desires can be controlled with some external
effects. That can be both an answer and a consequence of the system that we live in;
which seems so frightening fact that many of us do not awaken.