👓Caption Contest 24 | Man's Superficial Pursuit of a Woman's Perfection Beguiles Him

This post is in response to @sanmi's Caption Contest # 24. I really applaud him for running his contest for 6 months already. He has helped a lot of Steemians with his weekly Caption Contests. Every week, his post features an artwork of his choice. Basically, the idea is to give an appropriate caption in 10 words or less, and to justify your caption in a short paragraph.

He has some really mind-boggling impressionistic paintings. If you want to see more about his contest, check out this link. Here is his very own work of art which he urges everyone to interpret followed by my response to his contest. I hope you enjoy my interpretation.

Man's Superficial Pursuit of a Woman's Perfection Beguiles Him

At a glance, I could see a sculptor trying to create an image of a woman. He is successful halfway but it ultimately leads to his downfall. His search for ultimate perfection deceives him - leading to his untimely doom.

• The sculpture: In my subjective interpretation, the tall humanoid figure with protruding breasts depict a sculpture of a woman half done. We can see how the figure has rounded edges and geometric figures as its body parts. This figure represents an attempt to create a replica of a woman's body, with a perfectly chiseled body parts and an alluring facade.

• The sculptor: We can see a man who is holding a mallet justifying him as a sculptor. He is undeniably a great artist, equipped with the necessary tools to create any work of art. We can also see how he is not in his best shape evidenced by his unruly hair and protuberant belly. This may be the very reason why he seeks beauty in his work - searching for perfection in the body of a woman who will make him feel like a greater man. His creation is a depiction of his desire for companionship, love and belonging.

• His Downfall: The evident fall depicts how counterproductive his endeavor is. The blindfold of the sculpture is an anti-metaphor to the popular saying, "The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides" As the sculpture does not have eyes, love is shallow as how beauty is a superficial means to seek perfection and fulfillment. He attributes his creation, this sculpted woman whom he very much adores, to happiness. Unfortunately, it can never be so.

An Antithesis of the Myth of Pygmalion and Galatea

In the Greek Myth, Pygmalion was a sculptor who made a beautiful sculpture. The immense beauty of his creation enchanted the Gods. Aphrodite made her come to life, blessed their nuptials and they lived happily ever after. While this may seem like a rather heartwarming love story, it certainly is not true to life.

In fact, the story of Pygmalion and his Galatea appears to be toxic in real life situation. His devotion to his creation reduces love to a mere materialism. I could even say that it is self-indulging, as he fell in love with his own creation. Beauty becomes the ultimate basis for a lasting relationship and strips away a woman's individuality for her facade alone. A woman is way more than her looks and looking at people simply with the superficial is just demoralizing. As one quote in The Little Prince says, "What is essential is invisible to the eye". Ultimately, man's pursuit of a woman's perfection through looks beguiles him and leads to his downfall.

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