Diego Velazquez

As a bit of non-photography based research i looked at Diego Velazquez, Rokeby Venus. This work depicts a nude reclining Venus glazing into her mirror with her son Cupid. Within the mirror Venus' reflection is distorted perhaps describing the negative effects of what she as the Godess Venus represents. John Bergers Ways of Seeing (episode two) creates a clear link between women and effect glances. Throughout history and the history of painting, women have been taught how to survey themselves. Historical paintings ,especially of nude art, have give an insight into the view of women by the men how painted them. This almost acts as a primitive form of social media. As Berger puts it glazing into a mirror "women first see themselves as a sight and therefore a sight for men". Putting a mirror into a painting creates "vanity" but a vanity created by men.

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