#nudes

Women Artists

Sylvia Sleigh—A Woman Who Slayed Male Nudes

Sylvia Sleigh was beautiful inside out—brave and independent, she pursued her figurative style which was regarded as outmoded in the years of Pop...

Magda Michalska 12 March 2026

Women Artists

Female vs. Male Gaze: Suzanne Valadon’s Reclining Nude

Female nudes are prevalent throughout art history. There are ancient mythological goddesses, the Biblical Eves and Susannas, and then there are the...

Lauren Kraut 12 March 2026

Portrait of Madeleine. Marie-Guillemine Benoist, Portrait of Madeleine, 1800, Musée du Louvre, Paris, France. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Portrait of Madeleine by Marie-Guillemine Benoist

What is the message behind Marie-Guillemine Benoist’s Portrait of Madeleine? The history and tradition behind this 1800 painting might explain...

Jimena Escoto 8 March 2026

Erotica

10 Japanese Shunga That Will Shock You

Erotic, playful, and unexpectedly sophisticated, shunga holds a unique place in Japanese visual culture. But there is often far more than mere...

Katerina Papouliou 5 March 2026

Georges Seurat, Bathers at Asnieres, 1884, National Gallery, London, UK. Art State of Mind

Seaside Fun and Lots of Nudes: Bathing in Art

Let’s take a look at depictions of bathing in art and admire some nudes. These paintings, which span just over 20 years, mark not only a...

Wendy Gray 3 March 2026

Artemisia Gentileschi, Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting, 1638-1639 Women Artists

Artemisia Gentileschi in 10 Paintings

Artemisia Gentileschi is the most celebrated female painter of the 17th century. Let's look at 10 of her paintings.

Candy Bedworth 2 March 2026

Jacqueline Marval, Candeur d'enfant Women Artists

Jacqueline Marval: The Female Fauvist You’ve Never Heard Of

She was known as one of the greatest painters of her day and was a central figure of the Parisian art scene at the turn of the 20th century. She...

Natalia Iacobelli 18 February 2026

Painting

The Art of Getting Dressed

Throughout the centuries, artists have rendered countless captivating glimpses of the everyday rituals of women, depicting intimate moments of...

Maya M. Tola 12 February 2026

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: The Setting of the Sun by François Boucher

With sweet putti, handsome gods, beautiful nymphs, vibrant colors, and elaborate compositions, The Setting of the Sun is a testimony to François...

James W Singer 8 February 2026

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: The Rokeby Venus by Diego Velázquez

Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (1599–1660) was the leading artist in the court of King Philip IV and one of the most important painters of...

Joanna Kaszubowska 8 February 2026

Artist Stories

Edgar Degas in 10 Paintings

Edgar Degas (1834-1917) is one of the most famous painters of his generation. His ballerinas are held in many of the world’s most prestigious...

Jimena Escoto 30 January 2026

Photography

Rare Photographs by Edgar Degas

On August 19, 1839, the French government acquired the patent for the daguerreotype and made it the first publicly available photographic process. As...

Zuzanna Stańska 30 January 2026