Ceres Asleep by Bernard Lépicié

Ceres Asleep

c. 18th century

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Artwork details

Dimensions
Image: 26.7 × 21 cm (10 1/2 × 8 1/4 in.) Plate: 31.2 × 24 cm (12 5/16 × 9 7/16 in.) Sheet: 36.7 × 27.5 cm (14 7/16 × 10 13/16 in.)
Location
Harvard Art Museums
Copyright
CC0 1.0

About this artwork

Editor: So this is Bernard Lépicié’s "Ceres Asleep," an undated print housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It has a languid feel, almost dreamlike. What strikes you about it? Curator: The reclining Ceres, goddess of agriculture, can be viewed as a figure of both power and vulnerability. Consider the social and political implications of depicting a female deity in such a state. Is it an act of reverence, or does it perpetuate a patriarchal gaze? What does it mean to see her sleeping, and how might this be interpreted in relation to gender and labour? Editor: I never thought about it that way. It's powerful to consider how these classical images can reflect ongoing power dynamics. Curator: Exactly, and by questioning these representations, we can understand the historical construction of femininity and its continued relevance.

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