A Self-Portrait: Staring the Male Gaze Right in the Eye

Authors

• Brynne Petty

Keywords

Zinaida Serebriakova, male gaze, female artistic agency

Abstract

The late nineteenth and early twentieth century was a time of constant change. Artists were constantly finding newer and more creative, often more bizarre, ways of expressing themselves through their art. Social norms were being broken down, with the subjects of many artworks becoming increasingly unconventional, bold, and, in many cases, provocative. Women swiftly became the subject of many paintings, often portrayed in the nude. Of course, a painting of a nude woman was not a new concept, but the way in which women were depicted was increasingly more sexual and erotic. Thus, the term male gaze—defined as “a characteristically male perspective, especially one thought to reveal chauvinistic, misogynistic, or voyeuristic attitudes”—can be applied to many artists and their works.1 A woman’s body simply became an object to be viewed for pleasure.

Recommended Citation

Petty, Brynne (2026) "A Self-Portrait: Staring the Male Gaze Right in the Eye," AWE (A Woman’s Experience): Vol. 12, Article 19.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/awe/vol12/iss1/19