Dearest John Berger,
I must say that I partically agree with your statement of women "do to themselves what men do to them. They survey, like men, their own femininity"(Berger,63). If I wanted to go onto a tyrant, I could possibly blame all European oil paintings of women painted nude the blame for eating disorders because evidently they were painted like that to appeal the eyes of opposite sex. However, "Nudity is a form of dress"(Berger, 54). You continue to state that the spectator is never painted nude because the spectator is a man. Today, since I am a woman, why could there not be more paintings of men nude. I understand that most men were the ones paying to have these elaborate paintings painted of women nude and with cupid kissing them, but what do you think the world would be like today if there were more oil paintings of men nude?
Also, have you ever heard of Jamie Foxx's song "Blame it on the Alcohol?" Well, why don't they just "Blame it on the Bible" for the beginning of nude painting? On page 47 of your book you begin to discuss Adam and Eve, and how they were painted and "They became aware of being naked because, as a result of eating the apple each saw the other differently. Nakedness was created in the mind of the beholder"(Berger, 47). You continue to state that the woman is to blame for the reason why basically no one walks around naked, instead we wear clothes. What is your opinion on why the painting, over time, has created a less secular meaning?
I blame man for woman being painted nude too much. Couldn't you just sum up your entire chapter on that one sentence?
Sincerely,
Lori
P.S. I really enjoy reading your book...honestly.
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Lori, your letter is provocative, though elliptical and therefore hard to follow. I think you're saying that blame is being incorrectly placed on women. You say that the Bible might be the proper culprit, but, ultimately, men are to blame for painting so many women.
ReplyDeleteI would ask you to consider the two together, the Bible and men. The theological or biblical imagination of Western culture is fixated on Genesis because of the gender roles and gender dynamic it implies: Woman is subservient to Man, or at least this is the way that some religious sects within Christianity interpret it. As a result, according to some cultural commentators, Christian thought is one of the biggest influences on contemporary gender roles. Women are daughters of Eve and therefore carry on the tradition of being imprudent temptresses.
But Berger also seems to say that women have accepted this role. They didn't fight it, and now embrace it...
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