Seated Female Nude c. 1630s - 1640s

This chalk drawing of a nude female figure is attributed to Jacob Adriaensz Backer and was probably made in the mid-17th century. The Dutch Golden Age was flourishing, yet its prosperity was built on global trade networks, including the exploitation and enslavement of people. Backer’s rendering of the female nude speaks to the intersection of power, gender, and representation. During this time, the depiction of nude figures was rooted in classical traditions, often idealizing the European female form. However, these depictions also reinforce a dynamic where the male gaze dominates. Backer’s study offers an intimate, perhaps idealized, vision of the female form, yet it's hard to ignore the societal norms that shaped both its creation and reception. Consider the sitter’s experience. The emotional dimension of this work lies in this tension: What does it mean to be seen, studied, and represented?