[title not known] 

Editor: This pencil drawing is by Prince Hoare, dating from around the late 18th or early 19th century and held in the Tate Collection. It depicts a nude female figure on a pedestal, reminiscent of Venus. What can you tell me about the social context of images like this? Curator: Well, during Hoare's time, representing the nude female form was often justified through classical mythology, making it more acceptable for public display and consumption. How does this drawing engage with or challenge those conventions, in your opinion? Editor: It seems pretty traditional, almost academic. It's interesting how the act of drawing itself, the medium, mediates the image for public viewing. Curator: Precisely! The sketch format perhaps allowed for a different kind of engagement, somewhere between the private study and a more public-facing artwork. It gives us insight into the artistic practices and social values of the time. Editor: That makes me look at it in a whole new way. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! It’s rewarding to consider how art reflects and shapes societal norms.