In the Peristyle 1874

Editor: So, this is "In the Peristyle," painted in 1874 by John William Waterhouse, using oil paint. It’s very…serene. There's a girl feeding pigeons in what looks like an ancient Roman courtyard. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a tableau steeped in the aesthetics of its time, but also revealing of Victorian society's selective appropriation of the past. Waterhouse, while seemingly celebrating classical beauty, is actually reinforcing a certain image of femininity and leisure that was highly valued in his contemporary social context. Consider the setting; the peristyle. It evokes a sense of classical idealism but, tell me, for whom was that classical ideal constructed, and who had access to that leisurely existence? Editor: I guess, mostly upper-class white people? I hadn’t thought about that. Curator: Precisely! This image, while visually appealing, glosses over the social realities of the ancient world. We are not given a depiction of labor, social struggle or the diverse ethnic identities within the Roman Empire. Moreover, Waterhouse positions this young girl, a symbol of innocence and purity, within this idyllic setting, reinforcing a particular gendered ideal. Her role is passive; she offers sustenance, mirroring Victorian ideals of women as nurturers and keepers of domestic peace. Editor: That's interesting. I just saw a pretty picture. It’s almost like she’s trapped in a very aesthetic cage? Curator: In a way, yes. She’s confined to a specific role, dictated by both the artist's vision and the expectations of the society for which he was creating. Consider also how the male gaze operates here, positioning the viewer to admire and even possess this image of idealized youth and beauty. What about this portrayal do you find most telling now? Editor: I’ll definitely be thinking more critically about how the past is presented – and *who* is presenting it. It is all far from simple escapism. Curator: Precisely. Let's remember to look beyond the surface of beauty and interrogate the historical and social forces at play in the construction of such imagery.