Flora 1772 - 1773

Antoine Alexandre Joseph Cardon created this print, titled 'Flora', in the late 18th or early 19th century. During this time, representing the female nude was a complex dance. On one hand, it was a way to express the aesthetic and cultural values of the time. On the other, it involved navigating societal expectations, class, and the male gaze. This image of Flora, a Roman goddess, is rooted in classical artistic traditions. However, we can see the beginning of alternative narratives in the artwork. The positioning of Flora seems to ask the viewer to think about the representation of women in art, the tensions between idealization and objectification, and the gazes that shape our perceptions. How does the goddess subvert these established gender roles by directing her own gaze?