Unit 7

Quiz
Women Artists & "the nude"
Gentileschi
    Susanna and the Elders
    Judith
*Thursday*- Meet in Science Library computer labs to begin work on group Web Sites:
    Groups 1-5:    meet in Science Library room 308.
    Groups 6-10: meet in Science Library room 311.
 

Quiz:

In Ways of Seeing, John Berger argues that "the social presence of a woman is different in kind from that of a men." How does he distinguish between the two?
 
    Men act and Women appear; men see and women are to be seen. Men are active and women are to be acted upon.

What is the function of the mirror in many pictures of nude women?

    The mirror is to show the vanity of the woman. It enforces the woman as object, even to herself, and diffuses viewer guilt because she wants to be looked at.

What are the characteristics of  "the nude", according to Berger?

• object (nude) is there specifically for the spectator
• no individuality- most paintings use same old cliché' position (laying on bed, facing viewer, drapery, etc.)
• body displayed in a particular way- turned toward the viewer for better viewing

John Swift  "The Ladies Dressing Room"

    Swift (1667-1745) was a clergyman. He wrote this misogynistic (misogyny is the hatred of women) poem about what would be found in a
woman's dressing room. He uses epic similes (i.e. reference to Pandora's Box) throughout the poem to make things seem more important
than they are.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu "The Reasons that Induced Dr.S to write a poem called The Ladies Dressing Room"

    Montagu (1689-1762) wrote this in response to Swift's poem. She uses the same type of introduction and slowly works her way into
ripping into Swift- in an elegant way of course. Basically, she calls him (and everyone for that matter) for thinking and acting better than they
really are. Calls him on sleeping with a prostitute.
 

Women Artists & "the nude": we looked at art and talked about what we saw that was different than the images of women you usually see.
 

• Nikki de Saint Phalle, Nana c.1965- not idealized, active stance, overwhelming rather than passive
• Suzanne Valadon, Grandmother and Young Girl Stepping Into the Bath  c. 1908- deromanticized, not engaged with the viewer at all
• Suzanne Valadon, The Blue Room c. 1923- shown very "butch like ", uses cliché' position, but in a different way, hair is pulled back
• Louise Bourgeois, Femme-Maison c.1946/47- woman has become the house, all that has not been consumed by the house is her vagina- good thing she can still reproduce
• Monica Sjoo, God Giving Birth c. 1969- god as a woman (!), does not fit into romantic ideals of woman, she is subject not object- active
• Paula Modersohn-Becker, Woman and Child Laying Nude c. 1907- both in fetal positions, nurturing, they are in their own world, no relationship between spectator and viewer
• Sylvia Sleigh, The Turkish Bath c. 1973-put men in traditionally feminine roles
• Frida Kahlo, The Broken Column c. 1944- painful, pinned in place, barren landscape, strong conflict between beauty and pain.

(We looked at the Tintoretto version of Susanna and the Elders, also looked at Rubens' version-so might want to check it out to compare for yourself- big difference)

1610- Susanna and the Elders- men on top, men wearing very dark clothes, her gesture is very uncomfortable, portrayed as a victim.

(We looked at Caravaggio's version of Judith-  check it out)

1620- Judith- strong arms, bloody, both women are young, very determined.
1630- Self Portrait- strong arm,. rather than a muse she is the painter, she is showing her skill, active painting, hair disheveled.