Introduction
Jack Chambers was an influential artist in Canada, and he used a unique style in his works. His unique art style was perceptual realism, which is shown in most of his works. A style notably used to a great extent in this work is called Nude no 3. The purpose of this paper is to show how female nudity displays the concepts of fetishism and objectification with regard to gender dynamics in Jack Chambers’s Nude No. 3. The artist uses color and light in a unique way to capture a sense of reality to the observer of this artwork as will be shown below.
Jack Champers’s Nude No.3
The clarity of the light in the artwork shows that the artist uses a bright light on her body to bring it to sharp focus and invite for examination at different angles[3]. He is able to portray the female gender as appealing and even possibly giving pleasure to the eye of the other gender in a voyeuristic way. There is little furniture in the room, leaving it open to the viewers and therefore increasing the intimacy between them and the nude woman in the painting. The spacious room allows the audience to relate more closely with her and easily step into the room with our sight. She holds center stage, inviting closer examination and scrutiny as there are no distractions around her, and we try to share in her pleasure of self-admiration. This aspect of the painting enhances voyeurism as viewers enjoy this beauty without invitation. Not only does the photolithograph bring about gender dynamics, but it also brings the aspect of class into play. The fact that in the room, there is a wardrobe and a dressing table, and the luxury of just watching herself in the mirror suggests she was a high-class woman in her time. The confidence on her face, as she looks at herself in the mirror, indicates that she is rich and probably comes from a high-class level of society. In this type of art, Chambers draws his painting by using surrealism in the piece Nude No. 3. One of the most important aspects is the use of color. He uses black and white colors to bring out the painting of the white nude female to capture the mind of the observer vividly and in contrast with her black hair. The sharp contrast between black and white makes the painting both impressive and appealing. This effect would not have been as profound had the artist used blond or white hair in the portrait. The complete lack of other colors in the painting gives the work a sensual purity where the shape of the feminine figure captures the mind of the observer.
At the same time, this Nude painting brings out gender dynamics by portraying the nude as an object of voyeurism as she faces away from the viewer. Her dark hair in her reflection in the mirror brings out her nudity in sharp contrast, making her body seem even more exposed and sensual, eliciting the desire to possess her as an object of the other gender. Just as described by Dasgupta, color is natural and brings about beauty in an appealing basic way[1]. The quick tension of black and white, as well as the perception of vision, should be cleverly used by the artist to bring about clarity and contrast to artistic skill [2]. The white color brings out the fact that her skin is flawless and sensual in contrast to the rough walls around her. The artist has managed to use color in a way that brings about an erotic atmosphere in the painting as you look at the dark point of her nipples reflected in the mirror as she admires herself. Again, the complete lack of use of color makes the observer feel there is more beauty hidden that is not available, and what is presented just whets the visual appetite as there is more to devour that is being withheld. More colors would have made the painting rich but probably made it lose its purity and tend to be more pornographic for the voyeuristic observers. Still, the lack of color makes one think there are details that have been hidden, making the painting invite closer examination to uncover the hidden beauty. The lack of color makes one wonder what would have been the effect if it was a male nude depicted instead.
The flawless body introduces the audience to her good life and probably rich background. This can be depicted on her face, which is smooth and well-taken care of, without worry lines or furrows to show a frown of worry but with radiant beauty that is captivating and engaging at the same time. The image, as used by the artist, depicts the high social standing of this woman in society. Due to her high social standing, the objectification of the woman becomes even more appealing to satisfy the erogenous and voyeuristic need of male viewers who might consider its possession a conquest against class and gender[4].
The artist brilliantly used the line and dot concepts in lithography. As explained in lithography, the use of the dot and line is unlimited, and the artist is allowed to be creative[5]. The curved lines on her hair make it seem both long and soft to the touch. The repetitive use of lines on her hair makes it deep and thick, adorning the woman with exceptional beauty as her hair contrasts with her smooth, fine features in the mirror. Lines are also used to bring about the presence of the furniture in the room, give the room clear boundaries, and introduce a sense of texture in focus. For example, the walls are smooth, and the furniture has a nice finish to it but is not as smooth as the woman’s skin. The image in the mind of the observer is clear: this is a modern woman in the way she is presented by the artist. The picture is brought to life and becomes a really unforgettable image that gets etched in the mind of the audience and makes it real.
The artist uses the concept of space and mass creatively. Here, a good shading technique brings focus to the sense of mass and volume[6]. The first thing an observer notices is the huge, shapely bums that are quite erotic and underline the femininity in the photo. The size of her waist, together with her small firm breasts, contrast shows a kind of feminine beauty to be celebrated by the audience, especially of the other gender. Again, the sense of objectification is brought out, and those who like nudes throughout art history would definitely be attracted by this piece. Male voyeurism would, therefore, be at the forefront in this photo as the female body is appealing to voyeurism and objectification[7]. The collectors, both male and female, will be captivated by the feminine sensuality that is emphasized by her big bum in comparison to a small waist. Again, the volume of her head due to the thick, long hair and the slender neck emphasizes femininity and is, hence, very appealing to the other gender. The reflection in the mirror shows us the size of her body in relation to what we see on her back. The mirror image shows a slim body with small breasts while the picture itself shows her back and emphasizes how cleverly the artist has used space and mass to bring feminine attraction to the forefront in this painting. The picture attracts admiration, retaining its purity, and cannot be said to be sexual at all. The woman is not brazenly putting herself deliberately on display, but she simply admires herself in the mirror. The artist cleverly shows both the front and the back of the woman without displaying her genitals, making the nude woman dignified. The message is that of a healthy young female admiring her natural beauty in a leisurely way. Nicholas explains how femininity is brought out by making it a theme for the modern woman and appealing to the audience (Nicholas, 2015). However, in a patriarchal system, the woman would be portrayed as an object of voyeuristic pleasure, and this fact cannot be ignored.
The importance of the use of scale in this piece of work cannot be overemphasized,d as the photo of the woman’s back fills the greater part of this piece of art. The image is sharp, and the artist does not focus on the feet and lower legs of the woman but pays close attention to her upper back to portray the adequate size of the features he has to emphasize. The remarkable features of this nude are emphasized by the proper use of scale. The woman’s big bums are huge in comparison to the rest of the body, and the long hair and the woman’s face in the mirror image have been given different sizes, comparing the painting and its image in the reflection. The size of the image ensures that the necessary details, such as how smooth her body is and the texture of her hair, can be easily brought to the forefront for the audience to see and appreciate. Feminism is well captured, and the fact that she is standing face away invites the observer to look at the piece without inhibition as if she were invited to enjoy the beauty portrayed. Due to the size and composition of the artwork, the youth and vigor, together with the sexuality therein, are easily discerned from the photo due to its scale[8]. It is, therefore, a welcoming piece, even inviting to be possessed as it is full of cultural and social meaning as intended by the artist. This piece is not only modern but also international as it portrays the female nude as it would appear anywhere in the world in a particular class and social standing in that particular community. It represents a female who is self-aware and acknowledges the natural endowment given by nature. This picture clearly calls for attention and raises a hunger that is akin to human nature, and that has to be satisfied immediately[9]. It is at this stage that the point of gender dynamics is presented by the artist in a clear and concise perception of the female nude.
Conclusion
This visual analysis has strongly depicted the female nude by the artist to be erogenous in nature and, at the same time, sensual. It is very appealing to both genders and also gently and provocatively brings about a sense of objectivity and modernity. The artist has used various artistic themes and techniques to capture the almost innocent beauty that would stop anyone from admiring the artistic work. Though it may be viewed as idealizing the body of a woman, the physical detail in which it is presented creates a spatial convergence and becomes the symbol of the modern woman that can be used even today in the advertising world. It’s therefore imperative to note that female nudity is portrayed as one that should be celebrated and be used to allure and used in the commercial endeavors that may be deemed fit.
Bibliography
Bouleau, Charles. The Painter’s Secret Geometry: A Study of Composition in Art. Courier Corporation, 2014.
Bryson, Norman, Michael Ann Holly, and Keith Moxey, eds. Visual culture: Images and interpretations. Wesleyan University Press, 2013.
Coker, Wincharles. “When a Woman is Nude: A Critical Visual Analysis of Harlem Photograph.” Global Journal of Human-Social Science Research (2014).
Dasgupta, Rohit K. “The visual representation of queer Bollywood: Mistaken identities and misreadings in Dostana.” JAWS: Journal of Arts Writing by Students 1, no. 1 (2015): 91-101.
Mason, Katherine. “Social stratification and the body: Gender, race, and class.” Sociology Compass 7, no. 8 (2013): 686-698.
Sayre, Henry M. 2016. A world of Art. Boston: Pearson
[1] Dasgupta, Rohit K. “The visual representation of queer Bollywood: Mistaken identities and misreadings in Dostana.” JAWS: Journal of Arts Writing by Students 1, no. 1 (2015): 91-101.
[2] Ibid 1
[3] Coker, Wincharles. “When a Woman is Nude: A Critical Visual Analysis of Harlem Photograph.” Global Journal of Human-Social Science Research (2014).
[4] Mason, Katherine. “Social stratification and the body: Gender, race, and class.” Sociology Compass 7, no. 8 (2013): 686-698.
[5] Sayre, Henry M. 2016. A world of Art. Boston: Pearson
[6] Ibid 5
[7] Bryson, Norman, Michael Ann Holly, and Keith Moxey, eds. Visual culture: Images and interpretations. Wesleyan University Press, 2013.
[8] Bouleau, Charles. The Painter’s Secret Geometry: A Study of Composition in Art. Courier Corporation, 2014.
[9] Ibid 4
