Liggende kvindelig model 1625 - 1677

This is Heinrich Dittmers' "Liggende kvindelig model", made in the 17th century using black and white chalk on grey paper. Dittmers, a painter during the Dutch Golden Age, presents us with a nude female model who is reclining. As this work was created in a time when the relationship between the artist and the model was crucial for the artistic process, it's impossible not to consider the power dynamics at play. How much agency did she have in how she was being portrayed? The artwork offers a glimpse into the lives of women who were part of the art world but whose stories are rarely told. Dittmer's work prompts us to reflect on the representation of women in art, and to question the cultural narratives that have shaped our perceptions of beauty, and gender.