Using a work by Tinoretto as an example, Berger elaborates the fact that the nude woman looks at herself in the mirror, mirrors being the symbolic sign of vanity, just as the spectator looks at her in the painting, reminding us that women are considered, and consider themselves, sights to be looked at. The scene most depicted is the moment of shame, the shame is not in relation to one another, it’s the spectator who shames them.

Berger dissects the story of Adam and Eve in the book Genesis, the first case in the difference between men and woman, Berger points out two things in the biblical story, first after eating the apple humans first become aware and ashamed of their own nakedness, concluding that nakedness is in the eye of the beholder, second, the woman is blamed and thus is made subservient to the man, in relation to the woman, the man becomes the agent of God. This relationship is deeply correlated with European oil paintings depicting nude women.

Leading Berger to state “Men act, Women appear” Men look, while women watch themselves being looked at. Both men and women are perceived differently in the world, a man’s display revolves around power and possession, whereas woman’s display tends to gravitate towards her physical appearance, therefore bring about the need to constantly examine herself image, knowing full heartedly that her looks, tastes, values, and personality are being observed by her male counterparts, judging solely on her exterior aesthetics.

John berger ways of seeing book