Nymphs and Youths with Pleasure at Helm c. 19th century

William Etty made this drawing, "Nymphs and Youths with Pleasure at Helm", with pencil, pen, and gray wash. The image is evocative of classical antiquity, with its nude figures in leisurely play on a boat. We can understand this through the lens of the British art establishment of the 19th century. Etty was working at a time when the Royal Academy was the arbiter of artistic taste. The Academy promoted history painting as the highest form of art. This meant painting scenes from the Bible, classical mythology, or historical events, and often involved the idealization of the human form. Etty sought academic recognition, and the kind of social mobility it offered. Yet he was also drawn to the sensuality of the nude. In this drawing, he navigates the expectations of the art world with his own artistic interests. By studying the exhibition records of the Royal Academy, and the biographies of its members, we can better understand how artists like Etty negotiated the social and institutional structures of their time.