Athena 1535 - 1550

This engraving titled "Athena" is by an anonymous artist. We are invited to consider the layered meanings embedded in the representation of this classical goddess. Athena, often seen as a symbol of wisdom and strategic warfare, sits here draped in fabric. The cold, stark lines of the engraving, render her in a way that reflects the historical context of objectification and idealized femininity. She's seated atop a globe, perhaps alluding to the dominance and reach of knowledge and power, but there is also a vulnerability in the exposure of her body that complicates a straightforward reading of power. The gaze that the artist has given to Athena may invite us to reflect on how the objectification of women in art is related to broader socio-political structures. It challenges us to reflect on how women were, and continue to be, represented within society.