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February 12, 2026
'Not for ogling': forget Titian, Botticelli and the male fantasists
From Yoko Ono to Frida Kahlo, from Louise Bourgeois to Artemisia Gentileschi, women have long been capturing the unvarnished truth about their own bodies – and that’s why my novel Female, Nude weaves them into the plot
TL;DR
- Female artists have historically challenged the male-dominated tradition of depicting the female nude by creating their own self-portraits and performance art.
- Works like Carolee Schneemann's 'Interior Scroll' and Gwen John's self-sketches were met with controversy but asserted female agency.
- Artists such as Yoko Ono, Amrita Sher-Gil, Emma Amos, Paula Modersohn-Becker, Artemisia Gentileschi, Francesca Woodman, and Suzanne Valadon are highlighted for their contributions to the female nude self-portrait.
- These artists' works often serve as political statements, critiquing the male gaze, societal norms, and the art historical canon.
- The article posits that female artists reinvented the female nude by engaging with themes of ageing, motherhood, disability, race, sexuality, and misogyny.
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