Discovered femdom is how I mentally classify images that are femdom as discovered by the viewer rather than intended by the artist. This is a good case in point. It features Tala Birell from a 1933 film called Nagana.
The film tells the story of a doctor’s search for a cure for sleeping sickness. That doesn’t sound like something that would contain a lot of female domination. Yet this image is great. I love the attitude, her expression, the dress and his subtly subservient pose. I’ve no idea what’s actually going on. A femme fatale in a tropical medical drama seems an odd mix. Is she secretly on the side of the sleeping sickness? But regardless, this single frame works for me.
I sometimes wonder if the prevalence of unconscious F/m imagery and poetry in our culture isn’t symptomatic of something that is out there in what Jung would call ‘the collective unconscious’.
My own interest is in the literary tradition of ‘courtly romance’ that dates back at least to the 11th century. It’s a tradition in which a love-struck knight submits to and swoons for a powerful but inaccessible lady.
As a sign of his submission, he wears her favour, stays chaste, and dedicates his heroic exploits – slaying of dragons, subjection to painful ordeals and so on – to Her as a form of homage.
‘Homage’ (homme + age) is an old French word that played a vital role under the feudal system. Giving homage meant that you declared yourself to the the ‘homme’ of someone more powerful than yourself, in return for which you were protected and valued.
Sound familiar?
Sorry for the slow response. Technical issues are bugging me down in San Francisco.
I think there’s certainly a lot of the dynamics you describe buried in both the collective conscious and unconscious. However, I’m not sure how much is explicitly F/m and how much is simply the dynamics of power/trust/control/etc. manifesting itself via a sexual/romantic lens. i.e. Something that applies equally well to both F/m and M/f (and other combinations for that matter), but surfaces differently thanks to different social magnification.
-paltego
For a kinky site, you have a most interesting site. Interesting reading, interesting opinion every day….thanks
Thanks. Glad you liked it and dropped by to tell me so!
-paltego
“…you declared yourself to the the ‘homme’ ”
ahould read:
“you declared yourself to BE the ‘homme’ ”
Sorry I’m such a rubbish proof-reader.
“Discovered femdom is how I mentally classify images that are femdom as discovered by the viewer rather than intended by the artist.”
Defunct blogger Bitchy Jones calls this “Making porn out of coconuts.” I do this all the time! I like it, lol. I write about it on my blog under the tag “making porn out of coconuts.” lol
Dolce & Gabbana ads are especially kinky & erotic.
Ha. That’s funny. I remember reading Bitchy back in the day before she emasculated her site, but I didn’t remember that particular phrase. But you’re right, it’s exactly what she called it.
I always like D&G ads. They’re definitely high on the kink factor. I might even have an item or two of their clothing, but I’m not going to attribute that to the ads!
-paltego