Amazons Resting c. 19th century

Albert Weisgerber created "Amazons Resting," a sketch on paper, sometime during his career. Weisgerber lived through a period of significant social upheaval in Germany. As the son of a court photographer, he was aware of changing gender dynamics. Here, the figures of Amazons, known in mythology as an all-female warrior society, take a moment of respite. The rosy, warm tone of the sketch lends a tender air to the scene. One figure stands nude, confident and relaxed. Another sits astride a horse, while others attend to the animals. The male gaze is absent; instead, Weisgerber offers a vision of self-possessed women in a world of their own making. The sketch doesn't reinforce traditional representations of women as passive or ornamental. Instead, it presents an alternative narrative of female strength, autonomy, and camaraderie.