Did you know how European oil paintings like Titian's "Venus of Urbino" and Gainsborough's "Mr. and Mrs. Andrews" shaped the way we see women and power? From the objectification of women to the commodification of possessions, could these historical images still be influencing the advertising that fuels our desires today?

Ways of Seeing

Seeing precedes words. As infants, our eyes recognize the world before we can articulate it. This fundamental connection between sight and understanding is illustrated by the painter Magritte, who explored the gap between what we see and the words we use to describe it. Our perception is influenced by our beliefs and experiences, as seen when medieval men, who believed in hell, perceived fire differently than we do today. Love, too, offers a visual completeness unmatched by words.

Our vision involves choice and active engagement, constantly relating the world to ourselves. We don't just see objects; we see their relationships with us and their context. This is evident in art, where images, whether paintings or photographs, reflect a way of seeing influenced by both the creator and the observer's perspective.

Images have evolved from mere depictions of absent things to lasting records of how people and things were once seen. This shift, driven by an awareness of individuality and history, has made images more precise than literature in conveying the past. However, traditional assumptions about art—beauty, genius, civilization—often obscure our understanding, mystifying rather than clarifying history.

Art historian interpretations can sometimes detach artworks from their historical and social context. For instance, Frans Hals's portraits of destitute old age were painted while he himself was in financial distress, yet they are often discussed in terms of artistic technique rather than social commentary.

The invention of the camera revolutionized perception, dismantling the singular perspective that placed the viewer at the center of the visual world. Instead, it revealed that what we see depends on time and space, changing how we view art and history. Reproductions of artworks alter their meanings, dispersing authority and allowing images to be used in various contexts, often to maintain illusions of art's unchanged authority and societal hierarchy.

In our modern age, images have become ubiquitous and ephemeral, entering everyday life without the authority they once wielded in sacred or elite spaces. The true challenge now is who controls this new visual language and for what purpose. Understanding and using this language can empower us to redefine our experiences and understand our historical context better, making art an essential political and cultural issue.

How Did Magritte and the Camera Transform Our Perception of Art and History?

The traditional depiction of women in art has long been a topic of discussion and critique, especially when considering the differences in how men and women are portrayed. 

Historically, a man's presence was often associated with power and capability, while a woman's presence was tied to how she perceived herself and how she wished to be perceived by others. This perception is deeply ingrained, as demonstrated by European oil paintings, where women were often the subject, depicted as nudes for the pleasure of the presumed male viewer. This tradition has shaped cultural norms and perceptions of women, often reducing them to mere objects of visual pleasure.

For example, in European art, the nude was not just a representation of a naked body but a form of art that objectified women, making them sights to be judged and consumed. Paintings like "The Judgement of Paris" or Titian's "Venus of Urbino" showcase women as passive objects of desire, reinforcing the idea that their value lay in their appearance and the pleasure they could provide to men. 

Even when women were depicted in intimate moments, such as in Rubens' painting of his wife Hélène Fourment, the focus was often on how they were seen rather than who they were.

This objectification is contrasted with other non-European art traditions, where nakedness and sexuality were depicted more mutually and actively, not solely for the viewer's gaze. In these traditions, both men and women were portrayed as active participants in their sexuality, celebrating the shared experience rather than focusing on the passive display of the female form.

The European tradition of the nude has influenced modern media, where women continue to be depicted through a lens that favors male viewers. This is evident in advertising and other visual media, where women's images are crafted to appeal to male fantasies, further perpetuating the cycle of objectification. Despite some changes in art and media, the underlying assumptions about the portrayal of women remain largely unchanged, challenging us to reconsider how we view and value women's presence in society.

From Venus to Media: Unpacking the Female Gaze in Art and Culture

Oil paintings have long been associated with ownership and wealth, capturing not just visual likeness but also the tangible allure of possessions. This concept was highlighted by anthropologist Lévi-Strauss, who noted that Western art often mirrored a desire for possession. 

The evolution of oil painting, emerging in the 15th century, aligned with the rise of a new societal mindset focused on property and exchange. This art form, characterized by its ability to depict texture and materiality, became a medium through which the wealthy could assert their status and values.

The narrative of oil painting is interwoven with the history of European art, where it became a symbol of ownership, reflecting the values of its patrons. Paintings became commodities, representing wealth and status. This connection is evident in works like Holbein's "The Ambassadors," which showcases not just individuals but a world of possessions and power. The painting method emphasized the tangibility of wealth, making objects appear almost touchable, thus enhancing their desirability.

The tradition of oil painting, while producing masterpieces by artists like Rembrandt and Vermeer, also highlighted a tension between exceptional works and the average. Many paintings served the market more than artistic values, leading to a disparity between genuine artistry and commercial endeavors. This tension is seen in various genres of oil painting, from portraits to landscapes, each reflecting the societal norms and values of the time.

Landscape painting, initially independent of direct social needs, became a space for innovation, with artists like Ruysdael and Turner pushing boundaries. Yet even here, the relationship between art and property lingered, as seen in portraits like Gainsborough’s "Mr and Mrs Andrews," where landownership was subtly celebrated.

The narrative of oil painting is not just a story of art but of a society deeply intertwined with property and power. While some artists broke free from these constraints, creating works that challenged traditional norms, the tradition largely remained a reflection of societal values, emphasizing ownership and the material world. This legacy continues to influence our understanding of art and its role in society today.

Is Oil Painting a Canvas for Wealth and Power or True Artistic Expression?

Every day, we are bombarded by hundreds of publicity images, more than any other form of imagery in history. These fleeting images spark our imaginations, drawing on memories or expectations, yet they never truly speak of the present. Instead, they promise a future filled with transformation and glamour—a future where buying more makes us richer, even as we spend our money.

Publicity creates a language of its own, one that feeds on our desires and insecurities. It offers us images of transformation, making us envy what we could become if only we had the right product. This state of envy is what we call glamour, and it thrives on the desire of others to be like us. Publicity doesn't celebrate the object itself but sells a dream of happiness through the eyes of others.

Interestingly, publicity borrows heavily from the visual language of oil painting, a historical art form celebrating private property. Just as oil paintings once embellished the lives of their owners, publicity now enhances the lives of spectator-buyers, promising a better version of themselves if they purchase the advertised products. This visual continuity is reinforced by the advent of cheap color photography, which replicates the tactile allure of oil painting.

Yet, while oil paintings celebrated what was already possessed, publicity thrives on dissatisfaction, suggesting that only through buying can one improve their life. It plays on the anxiety of not having enough, equating spending power with life itself. Publicity transforms consumption into a substitute for democracy, offering choices in products rather than meaningful political ones.

Publicity remains credible because it taps into our dreams, filling the gap between our current selves and our ideal selves with fantasies of glamour. It masks reality, presenting a world where acquiring products is the ultimate goal. In this way, publicity sustains capitalism by defining our desires narrowly, making us believe that happiness is just one purchase away.

From Oil Paintings to Instagram: The Glamour Game of Publicity

The relationship between seeing and understanding is deeply rooted in our human experience, as our perception is shaped by beliefs and experiences long before we articulate them through words. This visual language is present in art, reflecting both the creator's and observer's perspectives, and images serve as historical records that convey the past with precision that words often lack. However, traditional assumptions about art can obscure understanding by mystifying rather than clarifying history.

The invention of the camera changed our perception by shifting authority from singular perspectives to more dispersed views, altering how we interpret art and history. In contemporary times, images have become ubiquitous and lack the authority they once held. The challenge now is understanding who controls this visual language and for what purpose, as it has significant political and cultural implications.

The portrayal of women in art has historically objectified them, reducing their presence to visual pleasure for presumed male viewers, a tradition that persists in modern media. This objectification contrasts with other art traditions where both genders are active participants in their sexuality. Reevaluating how women are depicted challenges cultural norms and perceptions that have long been ingrained.

Oil paintings historically symbolized ownership and wealth, reflecting societal values of property and exchange. This art form, characterized by its ability to depict texture and materiality, became a medium for asserting status. The tension between genuine artistry and commercial endeavors in oil painting reflects a society intertwined with property and power.

Publicity images today bombard us with promises of transformation and glamour, feeding on our desires and insecurities. They borrow from the visual language of oil painting, yet thrive on dissatisfaction, suggesting that happiness is attainable through consumption. Publicity sustains capitalism by narrowing our desires, making us believe that happiness is just one purchase away, transforming consumption into a substitute for meaningful choices.

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Ways of Seeing

John Berger

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Did you know how European oil paintings like Titian's "Venus of Urbino" and Gainsborough's "Mr. and Mrs. Andrews" shaped the way we see women and power?

From the objectification of women to the commodification of possessions, could these historical images still be influencing the advertising that fuels our desires today?

Did you know how European oil paintings like Titian's "Venus of Urbino" and Gainsborough's "Mr. and Mrs. Andrews" shaped the way we see women and power?

From the objectification of women to the commodification of possessions, could these historical images still be influencing the advertising that fuels our desires today?

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Key Ideas

#1

How Did Magritte and the Camera Transform Our Perception of Art and History?

#2

From Venus to Media: Unpacking the Female Gaze in Art and Culture

#3

Is Oil Painting a Canvas for Wealth and Power or True Artistic Expression?

#4

From Oil Paintings to Instagram: The Glamour Game of Publicity

#5

Final Recap

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