Louis Stettner, Janet (Pregnant Nude), 1985, 16 x 20 in., gelatin silver print on paper, Bowdoin College Museum of Art
Louis Stettner’s Janet depicts his wife in the late stage of her pregnancy. As much of Stettner’s work focuses on cityscapes and urban scenes meant to raise social consciousness, this photograph stands out as a personal and intimate work. His photography is unique in its ability to be simultaneously objective and subjective—he represents the world as it is, yet he still manages to communicate emotion. An art critic described his photographs as “egoless, quiet undemonstrative” while still conveying human conditions like suffering and joy.
Janet fits into Stettner’s tradition of being realistic and emotional through it’s characterization of pregnancy. The angle of Janet’s body highlights the weight of pregnancy. Her breasts and belly droop with gravity, portraying the physical labor and bodily transformation associated with carrying a child. While this is a realistic representation of pregnancy, the image is also infused with sensuality in Janet’s facial expression and curving body. Coming from the male gaze, the sensuality complicates Janet’s agency. Does she consider pregnancy a sensual experience, or is this simply her husband’s understanding? Stettner’s Janet contributes both to the trend of realistic representation of pregnancy and the co-opting of the pregnant body through the ownership of the male gaze.
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