Victorine Meurent was a painter, but is better known today as Manet's favorite model. Art historians have long held that she was a prostitute, who had a casual sexual relationship with Manet and who died of alcoholism at a young age. The truth is, Meurent exhibited in six Salons, some of which Manet's work was rejected. As well, it is unlikely that she ever slept with Manet, as he died in his 50s from Syphillis, which was then uncurable, and she lived over 20 years with a woman. Victorine continued to paint throughout her life until her death at the age of 83.

Edouard Manet. Victorine Meurent in the
Costume of an Espada. 1862.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Edouard_Manet_047.jpg

Reminder! Quiz #3 must be completed by this evening.
No extensions will be granted.

Edmonia Lewis. Hagar in the Wilderness. 1875.
http://americanart.si.edu/images/1983/1983.95.178_1a.jpg

Edmonia Lewis.  Death of Cleopatra (scale and detail).  1876.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cbustapeck/422647549/

William Wetmore Story.  Cleopatra.  1869.

The Kodak Girl. Australasian Photographic Review, January 23, 1911.
http://nishi.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/issue/latrobe-76/latrobe-76-097a.jpg

Photography provided an open door to women
interested in the arts because:

It had no canon, history or rules to adhere to

Photos were not initially considered art, so photographic practice
was open to everyone (who could afford the equipment) without restrictions

It did not reqiure formal training (such as painting & sculpting)

Because it was considered a hobby, photographers were
allowed great freedom of expression

Not surprisingly, women were among the first to argue
the artistic merits of the photograph

Lady Clementina Hawarden.
Clementina Maude. c. 1862.
http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/25629-popup.html

Lady Clementina Hawarden.
Isabella Grace and Clementina Maude. c. 1863.
http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/25701-popup.html

Julia Margaret Cameron.  Beatrice Cenci.  c. 1860.
http://files.splinder.com/d7099e9c2412caebd016f11a6101b070.jpeg

Julia Margaret Cameron. Sappho.  1865.
http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/cameron/images/841004.jpg

Rejected the conventions established by Raphael and supported by the Academy

Victorians were incredibly concerned with the problem of prostitution, which they called the Great Social Evil

the fallen woman = any woman who had sex outside of marriage

Dante Gabriel Rosetti.  Found.  1853 - 1882.

William Holman Hunt. The Awakening Conscience. 1853.
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/h/hunt/hunt_conscience.jpg

Evelyn Pickering de Morgan. Medea. 1889.
http://www.artmagick.com/pictures/picture.aspx?id=6250&name=medea

Eugene Delacroix . Medea. 1838.
http://www.paintinghere.com/painting/Medea_about_to_Kill_her_Children_10998.html