Metaphors That Derive Beauty in the World of Visual Culture

Beauty is often defined as a particular physical feature of things which makes these things aesthetically pleasant to see. These things include sunsets, landscapes, art and humans. Beauty, along with aesthetic sense, is perhaps the most important theme of aesthetics, among the major branches of contemporary philosophy. Philosophy of beauty has evolved through the ages with new ideas and conceptions being introduced and replaced time and again.

The most common conception of beauty has always been associated with beauty and glamor. Modern society has always responded to beauty in different ways depending on the prevailing social mood and values. Aesthetic beauty in reality has nothing to do with the vanity or the sensuality of human beings; rather it is linked to the moral sense or the sense of rightness. When beauty is associated with the moral sense then beauty becomes beauty and people begin to value beauty in a different and deeper way.

Beauty is closely associated with the moral sense and the concept of beauty reflects what is ugly, repulsive and detestable. Beauty and ugliness have always been a great concern for people all over the world irrespective of religion, caste and creed. In the last century, the emergence of photography has made humanity realize the importance of Beauty in human life. It has helped in changing the way people see, love and respect beauty and this has in turn transformed their lives and society in general. Over the centuries, the concept of beauty in the West has become associated with the rise of industrialization and urbanization that occurred in the last century.