A Nude Girl Reclining on a Couch 1894

Editor: Here we have Suzanne Valadon's "A Nude Girl Reclining on a Couch," and the sketchiness gives it a very intimate, vulnerable feel. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: The lines certainly have a raw honesty, don't they? Valadon’s nudes, especially coming from a woman artist of her time, feel like a rebellion against the male gaze. It is the artist's own vulnerability, but one that she uses to take back control. What do you think about the girl's pose? Does it communicate anything? Editor: It's relaxed, but with that leg dangling, almost like she's about to get up and leave. I hadn't thought about the "female gaze" idea. Curator: Exactly! It's less about pleasing a viewer and more about capturing a fleeting moment. Valadon lets us glimpse something very personal. Editor: That makes me see it in a totally new light. Thanks!