Cultural patterns of male dominance in Western depiction

Abstract

Abstract

This research examines "Male Dominance and Its Representations in Western Painting" across four chapters. The first chapter presents the methodological framework, defining the research problem through the question: "What is male dominance, and how is it represented in Western painting?" It also outlines the research objectives, significance, and key terminologies.

The study focuses on analyzing the concept of male dominance and its representations in European painting from the 4th century to the 17th century AD.

The second chapter includes the theoretical framework and previous studies, discussing the concept of dominance, its foundations and justifications, as well as the intellectual and artistic structure of Western painting.

The third chapter outlines the research methodology, covering the study population, the sample (five selected artworks), the research tool, and the adopted methodology. The fourth chapter presents the findings and conclusions, along with recommendations and suggestions. Main conclusions:

The effectiveness of implicit visual structures is closely tied to male dominance, as it clearly establishes the male figure’s supremacy within the artwork, either by positioning it as the dominant element or the focal point of the composition, using various artistic techniques.