author directory

Abstract

In this thesis, I explore the reasons that Picaso and Giacometti chose to utilize the female nude to express existential themes. I begin by summarizing the ideas of several major existential philosophers-Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre and de Beauvoir. Next, I present an explanation of Picaso and Giacometti's usage of the female nude as a primary subject. I argue that the female nude's glorified aesthetic appeal, the viewer's direct personal identification with the literal and metaphorical nakedness of the soul, and the stereotypical subjugation of women in society vividly illustrate existential themes such as anguish, loneliness, despair, hopelessness and extreme individualism. Last, I analyze the lives and works of the two artists and correlate their work and existential philosophy, thereby proving my claim that these artists were mindful of the existential movement of their day.