‘according to usage and conventions which are at last being
questioned but have by no means been overcome - men act and women appear. Men
look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at’ (Berger 1972, 45, 47)
The image above is the work of Hans Memling and is named 'vanity' this shows that she is there for the inspection of men, so men themselves can look upon her yet she is looking in the mirror at herself instead of looking back at the viewer (the man) and thus giving the man dominance in this situation as this makes you feel as if you can look at her without her seeing that you are, making the man as i previously said the most dominant.
The way in which Memling has posed the women is in a way to which he thinks is alluring, by then placing the mirror in her hand which is to make us think that she is contemplating herself, this is supported by the way in which her body is posed, which again encourages the men to look.
This you can see in modern day society as well, this is included in the way that you can see how women still are posed to make you want to buy and obtain certain objects. The Lynx advert below, shows a women in just her underwear, simply doing cooking yet giving of sexual connotations.
This is mainly used as sex sells items alot easier then most other things, the thing that interests me in she is gazing back upon the man, which in a defense way wants to stop you from gazing however the body language implies otherwise
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