The Eternal Feminine
by CÉZANNE, Paul, Oil on canvas, 43 x 53 cm
A broad cross-section of male society pays homage to its naked idol, who is holding court under a white canopy in a room which looks out over the countryside. The female figure has been stripped of her individuality, and lies defenceless and exposed to the men’s gaze; she is subject and object, exploiter and exploited all in one. This painting bears witness to C�zanne’s own mixture of fear and longing for the female sex.