Women Looking Out in Art

One topic in art almost exclusively represented with female figures is the subject of looking out a window. Mr. Emerson, in E. M. Forster’s A Room with a View, claims, “Women like looking at a view. Men don’t.” True or not, I have yet to find any compelling representations of men looking out. Featured above: Two Women at a Window by Murillo.

Edward Hopper’s Morning Sun depicts a pensive lady in pink gazing out at the world. She embodies the need to expand one’s horizons—the desire to see the world beyond—a sentiment that has never been truer than it is today. The stark simplicity of this composition brings to mind Giorgio de Chirico’s metaphysical landscapes.

Salvador Dalí’s Young Woman at a Window. At first glance, the figure seems to be taking in the view, but to me, she appears to be reflecting upon her life. The white cloth on the window sill suggests she is taking a brief respite from household chores, while her ballerina-like shoes reveal a longing to rise beyond the confines of her room. Dalí may have cultivated an eccentric public persona, but he was undoubtedly a master painter.

Paula Rego’s Looking Out. There is always a coarse quality to her work, yet she excels at upending conventional ways of thinking. The woman in this painting is far from a conventional, pleasing ideal—but doesn’t she have the right to dream like anyone else? Her leg resting on a chair reveals the physical effort required just to peer outside, only to realize there is no view after all.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s Woman at the Window. Everything in this composition is completely still, including the young woman looking out the window. It makes one wonder what happened to disillusion her so deeply and rob her of anticipation for a new day. The surprisingly cheerful color palette stands in stark contrast to the quiet sense of despair the painting conveys.

Caspar David Friedrich’s Woman at a Window. In the 19th century, women could barely peek out at the world—there were so few choices available to them outside the home.

Vermeer’s Woman with a Water Jug. Small daily acts—like opening the window to let the light in—are essential to our well-being. No one captures light quite like Vermeer, depicting the way it softly illuminates walls, furnishings, and ourselves. After all, who doesn’t need light in their life?

Majas on a Balcony, attributed to Goya. Notice the sharp contrast between the women enjoying the view and the threatening, sinister presence of their companions hovering in the background. The distinction in color palette between the figures is striking—and the men are certainly not looking out.