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John Berger / Ways of Seeing , Episode 3 (1972)
Margarett Kime
32:16
Overview
This episode of Ways of Seeing examines the tradition of European oil painting, challenging the notion of art as a sacred, sublime experience. John Berger argues that oil paintings, particularly from the Renaissance onwards, were primarily commodities that celebrated ownership, wealth, and tangible possessions. He contrasts this with the art of other cultures, which he describes as more static and symbolic. Berger analyzes how the emphasis on realism and tangibility in oil painting aligned with European expansion, trade, and the assertion of power. He critiques the art establishment's tendency to elevate exceptional works above the broader tradition, suggesting that the true significance of oil painting lies in its historical role as a medium for glorifying private property and the confidence derived from it, a tradition he believes has now been broken.
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- •We look, we buy, and we collect valuable objects, with oil paintings becoming the most valuable.
- •Paintings depict tangible objects, and owning a painting is akin to owning the object it represents.
- •Art galleries function like palaces and banks, guarding valuable images.
- •The value of paintings has become mysterious, detached from their creation.
- •Art is often elevated above life, presented as a religion or sublime experience.
- •Modern reproduction methods (photography, TV) have theoretically demystified and secularized art.
- •The art establishment often clings to the old approach, treating art as sacred.
- •A 'love of art' cannot explain historical developments, even in art history.
- •Paintings before the Renaissance were unique, purchasable objects.
- •Patrons surrounded themselves with paintings, creating a 'house built of paintings'.
- •The advantage of paintings over walls was their ability to show sights.
- •European oil painting emphasized tangibility, solidity, and what could be owned.
- •The emphasis on the tangible was linked to a scientific attitude and the opening of world trade routes.
- •These voyages led to the slave trade and the siphoning of global riches into Europe.
- •Scientific instruments in paintings symbolized navigation, diplomacy, and power.
- •The intricate detail in paintings denoted wealth and the labor involved in its creation.
- •European oil painting glorified the ability to buy, furnish, and own, unlike static art of other cultures.
- •Gold leaf disappeared from paintings, replaced by celebrations of merchandise.
- •Paintings celebrated livestock and pedigree, emphasizing the owner's social status.
- •Buildings were depicted as landed property, not ideal architecture.
- •Portraits celebrated the owners of paintings and other possessions.
- •They recorded the confidence and prestige derived from ownership.
- •The style of portraits often depicted sitters as a mixture of livestock, furniture, and dummies.
- •Portraits conveyed a message of respect, envy, and social status.
- •Classical mythology in paintings was part of specialized knowledge for the elite.
- •Paintings served as settings for charades, allowing owners to visualize themselves.
- •The depiction of Mary Magdalene often contradicted the essence of her story, focusing on appearance.
- •The tangibility of clothing and elegance overshadowed the narrative.
- •Even landscape painting, like Gainsborough's, celebrated property and the owner's relationship to the land.
- •The ability of oil paint to render land substantially enhanced the pleasure of ownership.
- •Some painters created personal visions that contradicted the tradition, like Lubin's depiction of abundance.
- •Exceptional works like Vermeer's and Rembrandt's should not be confused with the general tradition's purpose.
- •Rembrandt's early self-portraits served the tradition's purpose of advertising wealth and prestige.
- •His later self-portraits turned the tradition against itself, focusing on existence.
- •The tradition of European oil painting has been broken, with publicity taking its place.
- •Publicity makes us want to possess, mirroring the function of oil painting in celebrating private possessions.
Key Takeaways
- 1European oil painting tradition primarily served to celebrate and glorify private possessions, wealth, and ownership.
- 2The emphasis on tangibility and realism in oil painting was linked to scientific inquiry, trade expansion, and the assertion of power.
- 3Art galleries and the art establishment often treat paintings as sacred objects and treasures, obscuring their historical function.
- 4The value of paintings became detached from their creation, transforming them into commodities and investments.
- 5Exceptional works of art, while significant, should be distinguished from the broader historical purpose and tradition of oil painting.
- 6The tradition of oil painting, focused on celebrating private property, has been broken, with publicity now fulfilling a similar role.
- 7Understanding art requires looking at its historical context and function, rather than solely relying on its self-proclaimed sacredness or aesthetic value.