Vanity - Misdirecting
the obvious or
apparent
“Vanity” by Frank Cadogan Cowper, 1907
The closeup shows subtle opulence
with rich, ripe grapes in the back-
ground, symbolising luxury and the
temporary nature of a state of beauty or wealth.
The image of the woman shows all
that could lead to vanity, pearls,
rings, and luxuriously made apparel. However, the artist gives us a
riddle. Is she looking at herself in
the mirror? If so, how is she doing
that? Is it with vanity, or is she
watching us watching her? These
ambiguities are designed to redirect
or misdirect assumptions or reading
first impressions. The closer we
look, the more the story unfolds. In
this case, how the painting is organised affects how we know and what
we see and make of it.
Pandora’s box is said to contain a
mystery, making it so enticing to
open the box against all warnings.
What could it be that is so secret, seductive, and necessary for us to discover and that we are forbidden to
know? Of course, this is the same
story as Eve & Adam, the serpent,
and the tree in the garden. Forbid2
den knowledge - what could it be
but irresistible?
It has been suggested that Pandora’s
Box contains nothing but a simple
mirror. Whoever opens the box will
find only a memetic representation,
a likeness of themselves looking
back at them. This raises considerations of personal identity and selfhood, and self-knowledge. It is a
double-edged mirror, though and
can also indicate a void, a trap of
vanity or narcissism that locks us at
the moment and ceases to advise or
direct our steps with any wisdom.
This pivot, the dual nature of the effect of the mirror, was played with
extensively by the Pre-Raphaelite
artists (among others). This painting
is exquisitely subtle because of its
perspective. We are not supposed to
know where she is looking.
Painting a reflection in a mirror is
tricky business because of perspective. Where the subject is positioned
in relation to the mirror will determine what the viewer can and can3
not see. The Cowper has masterfully
outlined a narrative through the
painting that includes his audience
and audience response in relation to
the subject and elements of the
painting. This is further layered by
his use of adaptation and intertextual features.
Pre-Raphaelite art drew heavily on
the Renaissance period, as seen by
the elaborate dress with its serpentine pattern. It is similar to one depicted in the Italian Renaissance
artist Giulio Romano’s Portrait of
Margherita Paleologo in the Royal
Collection. In Vanity, Cowper’s subject also wears a ferronière (jewelled
headband) in a style that dates back
to the 15th century.
Perhaps this reaching back into the
opulent past through the early European courts bring forward a reminiscence, harking back to the Troubadour and the romantic elements
of love and nature that have been so
threatened and are being eroded at
the turn of the 20th -Century when
Cowper painted Vanity. The Indus4
trial Revolution gave birth to Modernism, and all that was good, true
and beautiful from the past was
threatened and therefore called back
for reconsideration.
My first response highlights the
complexity and ambiguity of the
woman's gaze in the painting.
Maybe the woman is contemplating
her image in the mirror but also
looking inward and pondering her
identity and self-worth. This interpretation speaks to the broader
themes (at first glance) of self-image
and self-reflection the painting explores.
My second response focuses on the
mood and atmosphere of the painting. I note that the soft lighting and
subdued tones create a sense of introspection and contemplation, reinforcing the vulnerability and uncertainty suggested by the woman's
gaze. Now I see the painting's challenge to my assumptions about
beauty and self-image and its invitation to see the woman as more than
just a reflection. This speaks to the
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painting's broader themes of identity, gender, and the complex relationship between the self and society the ‘I’ and the ‘Us’ - the ‘We’ and the
‘Them’. The ‘You and the ‘It’.
A possible reading of this is that
pure beauty does not need to be
vain, and vanity in its own right
leads beauty into an ugly place.
Overall, the painting invites various
interpretations and challenges our
assumptions about beauty and selfimage. Through its use of colour,
light, and composition, the painting
creates a subtle and complex interplay between the subject and the environment. It invites us to reflect on
the broader themes of identity, gender, self-awareness, and the humanmade versus the natural world.
Thoughts On Paintings
© Jonathan Wright 2023
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