Naakte vrouw in een landschap before 1761

Etienne Fessard created this print titled "Naakte vrouw in een landschap" or "Naked Woman in a Landscape." During the 18th century, European art frequently depicted the female nude within pastoral settings, often idealizing the female form and associating it with nature. How might the concept of the ‘natural’ be used as a construct to frame ideas about femininity? In the print, the woman's pose and setting evoke classical mythology, yet her figure deviates from the slim, idealized bodies commonly seen at the time. How does her body, and the emotion captured in her gaze, challenge or redefine standards of beauty and femininity? The print invites us to reflect on the diverse representations of women in art history, and to explore how cultural and historical contexts shape our perceptions of the female form.