Women Near a Pool c. 1859 - 1860

Editor: This is Rodolphe Bresdin's "Women Near a Pool," a black and white print. It feels like a secret, almost forbidden, glimpse into a private world. What do you make of this hidden scene? Curator: Bresdin often used his art to critique the societal norms of his time. How might this seemingly idyllic scene, with its classical allusions, actually function as a commentary on 19th-century bourgeois ideals of female virtue and public versus private life? Editor: So, you're saying this could be less about beauty and more about social commentary? Curator: Exactly. Consider the deliberate placement and gaze of each figure. It is certainly a work of art made for the public. Editor: I never considered it that way. Fascinating!