The Dawn of Love 

William Etty made this painting called 'The Dawn of Love' without a specific date, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Its depiction of nude figures in a classical style tells us a lot about the artistic conventions of the time and the institutions that supported them. During the 1800s, the Royal Academy in England played a central role in shaping artistic taste. Etty, as a student and later a member, would have been well aware of the Academy's emphasis on history painting and the classical tradition. The figures in 'The Dawn of Love' are rendered with a knowledge of the classical sculptures that the Academy promoted as the ideal. But Etty's work also challenged certain social norms of the time. His frequent use of nude figures was controversial in Victorian England. It's worth exploring how the social and moral climate influenced the reception of art, and how artists like Etty negotiated these boundaries. Examining exhibition records, critical reviews, and the writings of artists themselves can shed light on these issues.