Gender Identity Through Art

[Cam]

@Littlefeets

often showing males on the battlefield and women in feminine poses highlighting their curves and purity.

often, but that’s not always the case!
sorry to quote myself kdbhvf but a very interesting example is Da Vinci’s paintings of Saint John the Baptist

Cam shut up about Leonardo Da Vinci challenge failed

@Cam

it was brought to my attention (by a friend who studies art history) that in these two paintings, St. John is pictured in a sort of feminine light, compared to paintings of men back then, and yet, there’s no doubt that he is a man.
and i mentioned the names of the paintings because, as some of you may know, Bacchus was a figure for gender fluidity (as in gender is a spectrum), while some say Bacchus himself was transgender.
there is one more depiction of androgyny by Da Vinci, but it’s a bit more explicit so i’m not going to show it here (if you’re an adult (and can confirm you’re an adult), DM me and i’ll give you the name of that drawing), but in short: it depicts a person, someone visually similar to St. John, with both male and female sex characteristics.

now onto the questions
i’m no artist but i have taken a couple art history and art analysis classes so

@Littlefeets

Is gender identity clearly defined in art?

i don’t think so, and that’s the beauty of it! it can be vague or allude to an idea, and express things words and thoughts can’t

@Littlefeets

In what ways have gender identity and art impacted the other?

in my case? my own queerness has impacted the way i view some paintings, as art is often a reflection of the viewer (Oscar Wilde, paraphrased)