Violence in art

Violence in art refers to depictions of violence in high culture art as well as popular culture such as cinema and theater. It has been the subject of considerable controversy and debate for centuries. In Western art, graphic depictions of the Passion of Christ have long been portrayed, as have a wide range of depictions of warfare by later painters and graphic artists. Theater and, in modern times, cinema have often featured battles and violent crimes. Similarly, images and descriptions of violence have historically been significant features in literature. Margaret Bruder, a film studies professor at Indiana University, states that the aestheticization of violence in film is the depiction of violence in a "stylistically excessive", "significant and sustained way". Aestheticized violence differs from gratuitous violence in that it is used as a stylistic element, and through the "play of images and signs" references artworks, genre conventions, cultural symbols, or concepts.