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Introduction <p>Beauty standards have undergone profound changes over time, with historical depictions of the female body often favoring fuller figures, while modern ideals emphasize thinness. This study explores the body mass index (BMI) of women in Impressionist paintings and highlights the evolving ideas of beauty throughout time.</p> Materials and methods <p>The BMI of 11 female figures in Impressionist paintings was estimated by using the BMI Visualizer Tool and Artificial Intelligence (AI). A standardized height of 154.3 cm, derived from historical records of 19th-century female convicts, was used to ensure consistency.</p> Results <p>The mean estimated BMI of the women depicted was 31.0 kg/m², classifying them with obesity per WHO standards. BMI values ranged from 29.8 to 32.8 kg/m², with body weights between 71.0 and 78.0 kg. Standard deviation for weight was 1.9 kg, indicating low variability across the sample.</p> Conclusions <p>The findings highlight a cultural preference for fuller body types in Impressionist art, in contrast with today’s preferences for thinness. This shift, reinforced by media and societal norms, raises concerns about the potential health consequences of contemporary beauty standards, including the rise of eating disorders and unhealthy weight-control behaviors. A more balanced approach to body image—one that prioritizes health over extremes—remains a critical challenge in today’s society.</p>

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The body mass index of females in impressionist paintings: a contrast with modern ideals

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月18日

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  • MV. Messina,
  • A. Saturnino,
  • P. Pozzilli

摘要

Introduction

Beauty standards have undergone profound changes over time, with historical depictions of the female body often favoring fuller figures, while modern ideals emphasize thinness. This study explores the body mass index (BMI) of women in Impressionist paintings and highlights the evolving ideas of beauty throughout time.

Materials and methods

The BMI of 11 female figures in Impressionist paintings was estimated by using the BMI Visualizer Tool and Artificial Intelligence (AI). A standardized height of 154.3 cm, derived from historical records of 19th-century female convicts, was used to ensure consistency.

Results

The mean estimated BMI of the women depicted was 31.0 kg/m², classifying them with obesity per WHO standards. BMI values ranged from 29.8 to 32.8 kg/m², with body weights between 71.0 and 78.0 kg. Standard deviation for weight was 1.9 kg, indicating low variability across the sample.

Conclusions

The findings highlight a cultural preference for fuller body types in Impressionist art, in contrast with today’s preferences for thinness. This shift, reinforced by media and societal norms, raises concerns about the potential health consequences of contemporary beauty standards, including the rise of eating disorders and unhealthy weight-control behaviors. A more balanced approach to body image—one that prioritizes health over extremes—remains a critical challenge in today’s society.