Nature nurtures but also devastates. It has been a perpetual source of inspiration and sublimity for artists throughout history. Yet, when women are placed within these natural spaces, they often become the subjects (or rather objects) of male gaze- women are depicted as delicate, melancholic or symbolically still. It’s hard to find a painting where the woman, as a subject, is expressing joy, is at rest or creating havoc, showing restlessness in the environment. Perhaps the reason behind this could be how classical artists believed that art should address ‘serious subjects’ (Tate, no date:online). The presentation of women as ornamental elements in paintings reveals a crucial cultural context shaped by gendered ideals and societal norms.

In many classical artworks, the woman’s role in the piece is mostly passive and even when some of them take charge of their sexuality, they are reduced to either objects of pity or as warning signs to others.

In the 1853 painting “The Awakening Conscience”, William Holman Hunt, one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, depicts a woman, who gazes out the room’s window, perhaps with the wish of participating in nature. She’d rather be outside than with the man in the painting, nature attracts her more than her relationship. However, she’s devoid of that happiness for being his mistress- ultimately serving as a visual cautionary tale, a punishment for subversion of Victorian norms.

Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar in their revolutionary work “The Madwoman in the Attic” discuss how women in literature have been historically reduced to fulfill passive roles to serve men, indicating a patriarchal setup for controlling female subjectivity. Women in art too- tend to look frozen, posed, gazed upon rather than experiencing any agency.

The patriarchal imagination of nature is evident in the 1898 epic painting “Shakuntala” by Raja Ravi Verma. The subject, Shakuntala, reflects the essence of ‘male gaze’ that defines the feminine image. She remains a silent witness of love as she is actually looking for Dushyantha, who is of pivotal importance without even being in the painting, while pretending to remove a thorn from her foot. The entire scene becomes a stage for male desire. These depictions are nothing but reflection of how society has traditionally been viewing women and nature. Nature, wild and untameable, must be something out of access to women who embody order, grace and purity.

This trend however shifted in the 20th century with the emergence of feminist art and greater understanding of gender roles. This artistic trend began to shift in the 20th century with the rise of feminist art and a more nuanced understanding of gender roles. Contemporary artists are actively engaged in portraying women participating in the outside world as autonomous beings. They show women as enjoying their time, their breaks or simply admiring nature instead of being ornamental, which is a liberating move.

Here, “Proneeta” is one with nature- with flowers in her hair, henna in her hand. She isn’t separated from the frame but a robust part of it. She’s symbolising resilience being a woman of her own. Today, as more artists question and redefine these depictions, a new story emerges—one where women are not just seen in nature, but actively present within it.