Yearning for perfection – Viennese beauties

Collections of beauties, which previously included only women’s portraits, have existed in private aristocratic museums since the 16th century. Similar to today’s selfies, back then, too, at issue was supra-individual idealization: the absence of an independent personality was even considered a special proof of virtue. Nowadays, many (self-)portraits are still about metamorphosis and perfection. Influencers, advertising stars, and sex idols are role models for both women and men. For a long time now, idealized and erotically accentuated beauty are no longer exclusively female phenomenon.