"Ett löfte om lycka"

In this essay, I explore an innovative theme in the interfaces between theology, gender studies, aesthetic theory, and literary studies. More specifically, my aim is to shed light on fundamental theological conflicts underlying immensely complex subject of elevated status "the beautiful woman" as image idea Western society. This will be implemented through a close reading influential short story French nineteenth-century novelist Honoré de Balzac, Le Chef-d'œuvre inconnu (The Unknown Masterpiece), from 1831. By virtue theologically informed reading, important facets modern society's fantasy woman come fore. The essay discloses how has far-reaching tentacles ramifications, by which female becomes identified with beauty per se, art, nature, divine, even life itself. Balzac's presents reader strong statement scopophilic tendency visual arts, but its final peripeteia it also provides us tools bring forth contrary direct confrontation traditional understanding task painter.