Woman Taken Unawares 1891 - 1920

Curator: Here we have Edgar Degas's bronze sculpture, "Woman Taken Unawares," dating from around 1891 to 1920. It currently resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Okay, first impression? She looks like she's just woken up from a nap, or maybe caught mid-stretch. There's something very unguarded about her posture; I like how she's sort of ungainly and beautiful at the same time. Curator: Unguarded is a perfect word. This work, like many of Degas’s depictions of women, offers us a glimpse into intimate, private moments, raising questions around the gaze, particularly a male gaze. The title itself, "Woman Taken Unawares," positions the viewer in a specific, perhaps uncomfortable, role. Editor: Mmm, good point. The title does make me feel a bit like I'm peeking. And there's almost a tension between the rawness of the subject and the refinement of the bronze. It’s like finding a very intimate secret captured in a material we associate with grand monuments. I can almost smell the salon where Degas would have displayed this. Curator: Precisely. Degas was indeed part of the Impressionist movement, but his interest in the human form, especially women, set him apart. We need to be aware of the power dynamics inherent in representing women in this way during this time period, interrogating whose gaze is privileged and what societal expectations are projected onto female bodies. Editor: It's fascinating how a seemingly simple, fleeting moment, like catching someone stretching, can be loaded with so much social commentary. It's got me wondering who is looking and why. This small sculpture contains a vast exploration of identity. Curator: Indeed. Looking closely can be deeply rewarding and can open paths toward interrogating historical expectations. Editor: Right, I might change my narrative and stop the unwariness narrative and think about an everyday reflection... thanks.