Female Nude, after Michelangelo(?); verso: blank c. 19th century

Curator: This red chalk drawing, “Female Nude, after Michelangelo(?)” by Edward Burne-Jones, presents a partial view of a woman’s torso. I find it quite delicate and understated. Editor: The hatching is indeed very subtle. What stands out to me, however, is how this fragment invokes broader conversations around the male gaze and the representation of women's bodies in art history. Curator: Certainly. We can see Burne-Jones engaging with the classical tradition, filtered through a Pre-Raphaelite lens, which often meant idealizing and, some might argue, objectifying the female form. Editor: And it's crucial to remember that Burne-Jones was part of a milieu grappling with evolving ideas about gender roles and artistic expression. His art both reflected and, at times, challenged those norms. Curator: I see the visual construction of this body referring back to very specific, and oppressive, historical modes of representation. Editor: Yes, it is definitely a testament to the complexities inherent to representing the human form.