Bathsheba c. 1919 - 1921

Curator: This is Philip Wilson Steer's "Bathsheba," a work that remains undated, part of the Tate Collection. The piece invites us to consider the biblical figure through a decidedly modern lens. Editor: My first thought? It's surprisingly gentle. There's a vulnerability here, a soft quality to the brushstrokes that disarms the typical voyeurism associated with the subject. Curator: Absolutely. Steer was often aligning himself with Impressionist aesthetics, even while engaging historical narratives. The lack of idealization in Bathsheba’s form challenges conventional representations of female beauty, prompting questions about power, spectatorship, and the male gaze within artistic traditions. Editor: It’s like he's humanizing her, pulling her down from the pedestal – or maybe just catching her in a private moment. I wonder what she's thinking. Curator: I think, ultimately, it speaks to the complexities of interpreting historical figures and their stories through a contemporary framework. Editor: Agreed. It's a reminder that even the most familiar narratives can reveal new depths when viewed through a different lens.