Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society
How Nudes Changed Britain
Aug 2, 2024
Join Tabitha Barber, curator of the Tate Britain exhibition Now You See Us, as she reveals the profound impact of nudes on Victorian England. Discover how the 1894 rights for women to draw nude models sparked a cultural shift towards female artistic expression. Tabitha discusses the historical neglect of women artists and their fight for equality, and celebrates icons like Rosa Bonheur. The conversation uncovers the intersection of art and activism, illustrating how these women bravely challenged societal norms in a male-dominated art world.
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Quick takeaways
- The establishment of the Slade School of Art marked a significant shift in providing equal access to artistic training for both men and women.
- The challenge of depicting nudes in women's art symbolized their struggle for legitimacy and recognition in a male-dominated artistic landscape.
Deep dives
The Price of Progress: Women in Art
The discussion highlights the long-standing struggle of women artists to gain access to professional training and recognition within the male-dominated art world. Women were historically excluded from life drawing classes, which were essential for mastering anatomy and figurative art, often relegated to private or amateur status instead. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on the establishment of the Slade School of Art in 1871, which offered men and women equal access to life models, marking a progressive shift. However, the Royal Academy was much slower in allowing women access to these important artistic resources and training.
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