Standing Female Nude Seen from the Side 1886

Vincent van Gogh made this Standing Female Nude Seen from the Side as a sketch in preparation for his paintings. In nineteenth-century Paris, where Van Gogh trained, the nude was a staple of academic art. But it was also a deeply politicized subject. For centuries, the male gaze had dominated depictions of the female form, reinforcing social hierarchies and gender roles. Van Gogh's drawing, however, departs from the idealized and eroticized nudes typical of his time. Instead, he presents a working-class woman, her body rendered with realism and dignity. This challenges the conservative artistic establishment and suggests a progressive stance, aligning with a broader critique of societal norms that took place in France. Art historians often consult documents from the French academy and the writings of social critics from the time to better understand the changing social and political role of art. The meaning of art is contingent on its social and institutional context.