Catharine the Great, naked, flying away from the Earth on the Back of a Man with Bat's Wings 1743 - 1809

Nicolai Abildgaard created this artwork using pen and ink and wash on paper. It depicts Catherine the Great, naked, flying away from the Earth on the back of a man with bat's wings. Consider the late 18th century context of this piece. Catherine, a powerful woman in a world dominated by men, had a reputation for sexual voracity. Abildgaard uses the visual language of the grotesque to develop a satirical commentary on power, gender, and morality. The image has a raw emotional charge; one can imagine the laughter and whispers it might have provoked. It is a moment where the political becomes deeply personal, laying bare the anxieties and biases of a society grappling with female leadership. Abildgaard doesn’t just depict; he judges, offering a glimpse into the complex and often contradictory attitudes towards female power and sexuality. It serves as a stark reminder of the personal cost often exacted from women in positions of authority.