“The ideal spectator has always assumed to be male.
(Berger,1972)” Women are often portrayed
in so many forms, whether it be a nude, a family portrait, a scene, or a more
formal setting they have a presence different from men portrayed in art. The male form is usually acting out some form
of presence as Berger put it, where as women appear. Everything a woman does or does not do tells
a story about her, so she is the biggest critic and ever watching in third
person view her every action. She is her
own spectator, at all times, careful to allow the world to see anything she
does not desire them to see.
In the painting “A Portrait of Miss Elsie Palmer (A Lady in
White)” I could easily see a very complex person. The first thing that struck me was the steep
contrast of the background and the foreground.
Her white dress is beautiful and clean against a dark wooden structure,
but her face and gaze as if she didn’t seem to notice. Looking closer you can see her hair, face,
and form is nearly perfect. Feet spread
evenly; hands perfectly formed together, face still and quiet. The work is very detailed, but the closer you
come you can see the broad strokes of the painters brush becomes blurry,
favoring the woman’s secret imperfections: come to close and she can’t be seen,
stand back and she is delicate and detailed perfectly. Simple, but elegant. Plain; but refined.
Women perceive themselves a certain way, Berger argues, and
that self-perception is always overshadowing every action, thought and
character.
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