The Model 1874

Felicien Rops created "The Model" as an etching sometime in the late nineteenth century. Consider how this artwork challenges the norms of its time. Looking at the print, we see a woman from behind, seated, her hair in a cap. Made in France during a period of significant change, artists like Rops began to question traditional academic styles and embrace more modern subjects. The image invites us to consider the position of the female model. It seems relevant to ask, what was the public role of women at the time? How were female bodies represented in the popular visual culture? Was it appropriate to depict the model in this way? Historians look into the social conditions that shape the artistic production. To understand the meaning of this artwork, it helps to research the history of the role of women in the Parisian art world. Examining exhibition records and artists' manifestos can help us to reflect on the meaning of art as something deeply embedded in social and institutional context.