§ 2. On Looks

397. - Looks excite lust less directly than touches, and more easily have a just excuse. These things are to be observed concerning looks.

1. One's own nudity is of itself less stirring. That nudity which is had without any affection or complacency in the nudity is of itself free from guilt, as is that which, according to the custom of the country, is judged reasonable. Before others it will of itself be better to conform oneself to the custom of the country; when alone, one who loves perfect chastity will, without anxiety, avoid all nudity toward which some affection is borne, or which pleases the sense, even a non-venereal sense: let this not be admitted without cause.

2. In order now to speak of the sin which immodest looks are judged to contain of themselves:

a) A look at one's own body, even at its dishonorable parts, which is neither deliberate nor prolonged and arises from curiosity or levity, does not of itself exceed a venial sin.

b) To look in passing, from some levity or in jest, at the less honorable parts of a person even of the other sex is regarded as venial of itself.

On the contrary, they do not of themselves excuse from mortal sin a man who in our regions directs fixed eyes upon the nude breast of a woman.

c) The sight of the nude person of the other sex, or even of one's own sex if he is loved with a sensual love, or if the one looking is prone to homosexual excess, no more seems capable of being excused from mortal sin than the sight of human intercourse, unless distance or the manner of looking - in passing - greatly diminishes the danger.

d) The sight of the intercourse of animals does not of itself exceed a venial sin.

e) Concerning the sight of a picture, etc., cf. no. 400.

N.B. As we have already observed, the sight of a dishonorable part of a body otherwise covered excites the flesh much less than the sight of a person whose private parts alone are covered.

398. - Useful looks are lawful for physicians. Let them beware, however, lest they feign usefulness or abuse the occasion to foster their own lust. Wherefore it is also to be commended that a person of the other sex have a trustworthy companion, especially a relative, such as a mother or sister.

399. - What is to be said concerning painters and sculptors? Some speak more severely than others concerning them. It is not ours to pass judgment concerning the necessity which the cultivation of art creates. Nor are we those who can change the common estimation concerning this matter. Insofar as there is need, art furnishes a just cause; and the very prevailing opinion creates a necessity for magistrates and the directors of academies to tolerate these things. From another aspect, the serious end of study diminishes the danger. Cf. also Alberti, no. 99.

Wherefore, more usefully and efficaciously, we shall endeavor to do this:

1. With the directors of an academy: that persons not be exhibited beyond what is judged necessary; that persons of different sexes not be exhibited at the same time; that students of different sexes not be mixed; that possible precautions be admitted in exhibiting persons: for example, that the person not remove garments before the painters or sculptors ¹; that the eyes be veiled; that the private parts be covered, at least for affirming modesty; if it is done privately, that an honorable witness of the same sex be present; etc.

¹ A woman excites lust more when she removes her garments than when she is seen with her garments already removed; one who walks does so more than one who sits motionless without garments.

2. Individual painters and sculptors must be commanded those things which convert the proximate occasion into a remote one.

It can never be permitted that they paint or fashion obscene things, or certain things in a lascivious manner, except perhaps in an extreme necessity ². Concerning paintings or sculptures which are not obscene but sufficiently nude, the circumstances of the person requesting them, the place of exhibition, the detriment to be sustained if they are refused, scandal, the efficacy of the refusal, etc., must be weighed. For a God-fearing painter or sculptor will never of his own accord fashion those things which are for many an occasion of temptations and sins.

² Lehmkuhl, I, 827, 4.

"To paint or fashion an image of a person basely loved by one who requests that the image be made, provided the artist knows of the base love, will not be lawful without grave sin, except for a cause of entirely grave poverty or similar necessity. For it is a thing which greatly fosters base love; but since the thing is not evil in itself, nor does it necessarily have an evil use, the cooperation, although proximate, is only ma- terial, provided that compliance with the base end is not given to the formal request ³."

³ Lehmkuhl, I, 827, 3.

Moreover, it is evident that nude things can honorably be painted for scientific studies, for example, of anatomical art.

3. The things said concerning painters are valid concerning those who make photographic images. A somewhat more benign response can be given concerning them, insofar as they furnish less prolonged labor, and what they themselves deny will most easily be granted by others.

4. "Since the action itself is not gravely base in itself, and the danger of depraved consent arises rather from the malice of those looking than from the nature of the thing, the aforesaid authors are excessively severe when they charge with grave sin women who thus exhibit themselves nude to be looked upon ⁴."

⁴ Génicot, I, 407.

This is rightly said as regards the exhibition itself. But they must furthermore avoid all formal cooperation toward painting or sculpting indecorous things. Material cooperation, according to the general rules, can be excused in proportion to the gravity of the cause and of the evil. Cf. Noldin, De sexto, no. 60.

400. - The sight of a nude picture or sculpture must be estimated from the cause, from the manner of representation, and from the object.

A painting sharpens the stimuli of the flesh more than a sculpture. Executed in a vivid manner, a painting excites scarcely less than the natural thing. In these matters habit itself can have very great force: "No passion arises from things to which one is accustomed."

St. Alphonsus ⁵ does not condemn of mortal sin one who, for example, displays in a garden a statue of a woman with only the private parts covered, although these things are in no way positively to be approved.

⁵ Book 2, no. 56.

N.B. Concerning visiting museums, cf. the counsels given in no. 183.