SANATSAL B R OBJE OLARAK KADIN VE BAZI TOPLUMLARDA KADINA BAKI

The aim of this study is to present the place of woman that was respected as a spiritual creature as an art object in art works, to examine her artist personality in history and to emphasize the social importance of woman. Woman in Chalcolithic and Neolithic Ages, especially in Hittites and Phrygians, was symbolized as “Mother Goddess” in both functional and artistic works by considering the fertility of woman. While woman theme was shaped as idol an amulet with ceramic forms in these periods, she was presented as marble sculptures in Roman, Byzantine and Hellenistic periods, thus, her importance for society and her persistence from the past to this day were emphasized. It shows that woman was reflected as both a goddess and an aesthetical object in the art works of men. Moreover, woman was not only presented as either Goddess Venus (Aphrodite) or Helen by almost every artist but she was also either painted or placed in relives as an image showing plastic effect. Although woman was sometimes treated insupportably and she was sometimes seen as a creature that harbours devil spirits, she has always been source of inspiration for art and artists. While woman once herself was an art object or plastic element of art work, she is now the creator of art works. This is an indication of the fact that the perception of society for woman has changed and the place woman placed herself in the universe.