John Berger, following in Kenneth Clark’s footsteps, introduces a distinction between "nakedness" and "nudity" in the European artistic tradition, as he discusses in his seminal work "Ways of Seeing". He argues that being "naked" simply implies a state of undress, whereas "nudity" is a deliberate representation in the realm of art. Berger links this form of representation to the concept of "lived sexuality". In essence, to be naked is to be one's true self, while to be nude, in the artistic sense, is to be undressed for the purpose of being observed. A naked body transforms into an object of the gaze when it is represented as a nude. Nakedness implies being without any disguise, but nudity implies becoming a spectacle in one's own skin.
Art pieces, including paintings and photographs, that depict nudity often stimulate the viewer's sexual interest, predominantly if the viewer is male. The representation is rarely about the subject's own sexuality; women are portrayed primarily to be observed by men. When a male figure is depicted in a nude painting, the woman seldom addresses him, as her focus is on her "true lover" - the viewer. The viewer assumes the central role in the painting without even being present within the frame.
In "Ways of Seeing", Berger further explores the concept of nakedness outside the artistic sphere. He suggests that nakedness exposes a person's genuine gender and adds a touch of banality, simplifying reality once the garments are removed. Therefore, Berger perceives nakedness as a process in reality, rather than a static state.
In the concluding section of "Ways of Seeing", Berger identifies a contradiction within the humanist tradition of European painting. On one side, there's the individualism of the painter, the owner, and the viewer. On the flip side, there's the object - the woman - who is treated as an abstract entity. Berger opines that these unequal relations between men and women are deeply embedded within our culture and women's consciousness, leading women to objectify themselves.
