Lepperts essay

Leppert’s essay

Natalie Beech

  In Richard Leppert’s review he calls Berger’s thesis about, “the painted nude and spectatorship.” Leppert’s says in his essay that Berger ignored an important part of the essay he said,” He ignored any specific investigation of the function of the nude ( the why question) or of the act of spectatorship (the “who’s looking “ question). This is Berger’s main thesis. Leppert says Berger’s essay is about the painted nude not naked and how the spectator looks at it. Lepert also says that the spectator is who looks at you. Leppert views it as the specters eye.  The model wants you to look at he/she.  This whole essay is not factual I think that the writings depend on who the spectator is. Leppert says that not every art is a woman. There are probably now an equal part of woman and men. He also says that in clarks book Clark defines nudes in terms of beauty. 

  Berger does it interns of politics and power. Berger’s essay is about the painted nude not naked and specifically the men that look at it.  Berger’s men act, woman appear. I think Bergers whole writing is sexist. This essay is over thought. It seems that they are debating something that is already obvious. Berger’s says that in the painting woman are looked as a nude not naked meaning nude as a art form and naked as having no clothes on. In one of the painting in Berger’s essay he shows a woman nude looking away form the man or in the other direction. Rarely the woman attention is directed toward the man. She offend looks away from him or she looks out of the picture towards the one who considers himself her true lover- the spectator-owner.  In Bergers essay he says the men that look at this or requested for  a nude painting of there woman is possessive, has authority which gives him privilege. This fact is weird because men obviously look at nude or naked woman for pleasure. I don't know a man who has a naked picture of a woman on his wall of his house and calls it art. It is more often in a magazine.  

  All in all I agree more with Leppert’s point because he seems to be more open that a woman and a man can be in a nude photo. It is interesting reading this selection.