The Cellulite Investigation Art

Peruse the results of a Google search for “cellulite” and you’ll soon discover that most websites about the blight feature prominent imagery of toned, dimple-free backsides.  Not this one.  Perky butt close-ups are so cliché.

A lot of thought went into the images displayed in CI’s web design.   The artwork was inspired by this comment from a French reader.  Leave it to the French to think of a beautiful way to depict cellulite.  In case you were wondering about the meaning behind the rotating artwork in the header, here is a brief explanation.

“Woman Bitten By A Snake” by Auguste Jean-Baptiste Clesinger

Clesinger’s sculpture is often cited as the first example of cellulite depicted in art, adding credence to the theory that cellulite is a modern ailment.  This daring piece caused quite a stir when it was displayed at the 1847 Salon in Paris, in large part because of a rumor the artist cheated by taking a lifecast from the model.  The model for the statue was Apollonier Sabatier, a wealthy courtesan famous for the literary salons she hosted on Sunday evenings and the excellent food she served there. Was the menu full of “modern” foods, sure to impress her elite guests? We can only imagine.

This sculpture first caught my attention when I visited the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, several years before launching The Cellulite Investigation.  I couldn’t tell why it intrigued me at the time, but it did.   The photo I took that day is the one you see in the header.

“The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli

This famous painting depicts the birth of Venus –the Roman goddess associated with love, beauty, and fertility –as she emerges from the sea, a full grown woman.  Although much controversy exists over the meaning of the piece, it is clear that Venus represents the ideal of feminine beauty for that time period. The artist emphasized her femininity by accentuating her long neck and curves, and placing gold leaf highlights in her hair.

Interestingly, art experts point out that Venus’s features are anatomically improbable and her pose, although based on a common stance in artwork of the day, is impossible because of the degree to which she is leaning over her left leg.  This painting touches on many of the same issues we deal with here at The Cellulite Investigation: it brings up questions of beauty and femininity, it invokes controversy, and it encourages us to question our expectations and preconceptions.

“Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” by Pablo Picasso

Truth be told, I chose this piece because the colors and subject matter were a perfect match for the CI site. I didn’t realize what a monumental work it was until I started to read more of the history behind this Picasso masterpiece.

Picasso’s Demoiselles depicts five naked women from a brothel.  Their features disoriented, none of the women are conventionally feminine or beautiful.  The piece was highly controversial in its day, but now it is seen as a cornerstone of the modern art movement.  It was even named “the most influential work of art of the last 100 years” in this Newsweek article from 2007.

I’m still pondering the connection between Demoiselles and the Cellulite Investigation, but that’s what I enjoy most about art.  It makes you think.  Surrounding our humble blog with imagery from these great artists reminds me that our efforts aren’t superficial (as the perky butt-shots would indicate).  Instead, our investigation is based on a longing for beauty that is as deep and valid as art itself.  I would argue, even more so.

photo credit