Hallie Franks, an art historian specializing in ancient art's impact on modern aesthetics, dives deep into how Graeco-Roman sculptures of Venus shaped 20th-century American womanhood. She discusses the intertwining of ancient ideals with contemporary beauty standards and the societal pressures women faced to embody these models. The conversation also explores the contrasting receptions of iconic sculptures, anatomical representations of the female form, and the political dimensions surrounding health, beauty, and race in relation to femininity.