Blog #1-- Reflecting Values of Society

Jan van Eyck's painting, Giovanni Arnolfini and His Wife, Giovanna Cenami, is a piece that is extremely relevant today. This relevancy is not just because of hidden symbols that are often found in artwork today, but because of the way it reflects the values of society at that time. In the 15th century, women were seen as being submissive and passive while men were superior and dominant. It is no suprise that van Eyck depicted these stereotypes within his painting. The stance of the man with his hand raised is very strong and erect, indicating that he is the superior to the woman who is hunched over and slightly looking down. Also, as indicated in the voicethread, the woman is closer to the bed while the man is closer to the window. This demonstrates the stereotype that woman belong at the home while men are centered outside of the home in the public, working sphere.

Everyone holds stereotypes, whether intentional or not, due to conditioning they experienced as children. These assumptions are often subconciously expressed, especially in art work and the media. Therefore, art usually reflects the values of society.

Presently, stereotypes are very prevelant in the media. For example, this Vogue cover from April 2008 is very similar to van Eyck's piece. LeBron James is almost beast-like by his stance and facial expression, indicating his dominance and agression, two typical gender stereotypes of males. He is also wearing athletic clothes and dribbling a basketball, emphasizing his athleticism. On the otherhand, Giselle Bundchen is wearing a pretty dress and smiling. She is also being held by Lebron, demonstrating her submisseveness to the dominant male. Whether intentional or not, this magazine cover depicts the hidden stereotypes that many people still maintain. While we are not as open about these biases as people were in the 15th century, they still come out subconciously. Therefore, despite the time differnce, connections can still be made with van Eyck's piece and current artwork today because art will always reflect the values of society.