Visual Narratives of Women: The Interplay of Male and Self-Gaze in Republican-Era Cosmetic Packaging

Release time:2025-06-27 Hits:

Journal:Australian Feminist Studies

Key Words:Republican China; material culture; gendered gaze; cosmetic packaging in tinplate cans; visual representation; female subjectivity

Abstract:The Republican era in China (1912–1949) marked a transformative period characterised by modernisation and evolving cultural norms. Graphic design, particularly in cosmetic packaging, influenced societal perceptions of femininity and consumer culture. This study aims to analyze the representation of female imagery on cosmetic packaging in tinplate cans and its impact on women’s identity recognition. It employs a dual approach, utilising visual element analysis and quantitative methods to examine key visual features. An integrated theoretical framework combining feminist advertising criticism, material culture studies, and Chinese gender discourse analysis serves as the analytical framework. Findings show male gaze appeared 72 times, self- gaze 70 times, and female gaze 15 times. The strong presence of self-gaze alongside the dominant male gaze reveals a complex negotiation of female agency and subjectivity during this era. The nuanced interplay highlights women navigated the complexities of modernity, consumer culture, and evolving gender roles through material engagement with everyday objects. By addressing the underexplored intersection of commercial design, material culture, and gender formation, this research provides a new dimension to understanding how women constructed their identities through the materiality of consumer goods while negotiating between traditional Chinese aesthetic principles and modern commercial imperatives

Indexed by:Journal paper

Discipline:Art

First-Level Discipline:Art

Document Type:J

Translation or Not:no

Date of Publication:2025-06-27

Included Journals:SSCI

DOI number:10.1080/08164649.2025.2527763

First Author:王苗辉

Co-author:占炜,李艳