Study for "Greek Girls Bathing" c. 1872

Elihu Vedder made this study for "Greek Girls Bathing" on an irregular sheet, using watercolor, graphite, and gouache. Vedder was an American symbolist painter, and this study provides insight into the artistic processes of the time. The composition is focused on a group of figures draped in fabric, which immediately evokes classical antiquity and an idealized vision of ancient Greek life. It was fashionable at the time for artists to create images of ‘classical life’ - but what was the public role of these images? Were they simply about the aesthetic pleasure of seeing the image? Or were they about something more? To answer this, we might research the artist's relationship with institutions such as academies, galleries, and museums. These institutions shaped the production and reception of art. As historians, we can shed light on the social conditions that shaped artistic production, considering the cultural values and artistic conventions of the time.