Nude with Hands behind Her Head (horizontal) 1894 - 1895

Editor: We're looking at Armand Séguin's etching, "Nude with Hands behind Her Head." It's quite small, almost intimate. What strikes me is how direct her gaze is. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's interesting to consider this work within the context of late 19th-century French art. How did artists depict women, and whose gaze did they prioritize? Séguin's choice to depict a female nude looking directly at the viewer invites a question: does it subvert or reinforce prevailing power dynamics? Editor: That’s fascinating. So you’re saying that even in its intimacy, this etching participates in a larger social conversation about the female image? Curator: Precisely. It asks us to think about the power of the image, and who controls its meaning. I’m glad you noticed this etching.