From Curves to Contours

How the ideal female physique has transformed from Renaissance curves to an obsession with thinness. 

By Mia Puleo

Graphic by Katie King

The Renaissance was a boom of cultural and intellectual ideologies that swept over Europe from the 14th century until the 17th century. Humanism was at the forefront of this movement; a non-religious philosophy that emphasized “authenticity and beauty.” This way of thinking flourished in the arts, influencing household names like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and many others in their artistic depictions of women. 

Famous Italian painter Sandro Botticelli’s portrayal of Venus is a prime example. Botticelli was influenced by Neoplatonism and used the goddess, Venus, to symbolize earthly, lustful and desire-driven attraction. Being depicted naked in most paintings, her physique represented the kind of woman who exuded attractiveness during the Renaissance. So, what did the body of the woman, who was thought to be the most beautiful, look like? Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus gives the best answer; she was a full-figured woman with curves, thick thighs and a rounder stomach.

The idealization of heavier women during the Renaissance came from the fact that women were seen as an extension of their husbands’ status and wealth. Being able to afford enough food to be fully nourished was seen as a luxury during the 15th century in Italy, making healthy bodies a symbol of success. The other side of this card means that being skinny was deemed unattractive, as it was associated with low social standing and poverty. 

It’s astonishing to see how different the 21st century’s idea of womanly beauty is. Today, a small waist and flat stomach are often understood as the primary representation of attractiveness in pop culture. Over the past few years, society has become more accepting of varying body types. However, weight loss methods are still force-fed to women of all ages. On TikTok, influencers share their diets and gym routines with an audience of impressionable young girls. The commercials that interrupt late-night reruns of classic sitcoms on cable television recommend prescriptions and weight loss surgeries to older women, who are pressured to keep up with the ever-changing trends. Eat sea moss. Take Ozempic. Get a facelift. Do everything possible to be skinny and stay skinny.  

Beauty standards have been pushed onto women since the dawn of time. It’s an unfortunate constant in every culture throughout history. Women from the Renaissance felt pressured to have curves as intensely as women today feel pressured to have a flat stomach. The variable that is ever changing when it comes to women’s beauty standards is what it’s supposed to look like. Five centuries ago, it was curves. Today, it’s contours. Who knows what it will be in 20 years?