Join classicist Mary Beard, known for her deep insights into ancient cultures, and Holly Braine from Sotheby’s, as they dive into the representation of powerful women in Western art. They discuss iconic figures like Athena and Queen Elizabeth I, exploring how historical depictions have shaped societal views on female power. The conversation probes the male gaze in art and critiques contemporary portrayals of women, emphasizing the importance of female narratives and agency in challenging gender norms throughout history and today.
01:02:46
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Käthe Kollwitz: Reframing Suffering
Käthe Kollwitz's etching of a mother echoes Laocoön, but with a key difference.
Kollwitz centers the real child, contrasting with Laocoön's miniaturized adults.
insights INSIGHT
Subversion in Subtlety
Marie Laurencin, a female artist, seemingly conformed to feminine tropes.
Her painting, however, includes exposed breasts, a subtle act of subversion.
question_answer ANECDOTE
The Shocking Venus
The Venus de Milo, a shocking image in its time, now seems commonplace.
Its initial reception involved stories of men driven mad by its power.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
How has Western culture depicted powerful women down the ages? To what extent have they been packaged into a male template? And how much have they been able to control their own image? Featuring classicist Mary Beard and Sotheby’s specialist Holly Braine, and chaired by cultural critic Shahidha Bari, the conversation will range from sculptures of ancient goddesses such as Aphrodite and Athena, to portraits of Queen Elizabeth I as ‘Gloriana’, to the empowered politicians and cultural icons of today. This conversation was produced in partnership with Sotheby's for Sotheby’s Talks: (Women) Artists.
To view the accompanying images for this conversation please visit: https://intelligencesquared.com/sothebys-women-artists-women-in-power/
This event was recorded on the 26th of February 2023, at Sotheby's in London. It was produced by Executive Producer Hannah Kaye andediting was by Producer Catharine Hughs.
—
We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be about. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us at@intelligence2.
At Intelligence Squared we’ve got our own online streaming platform, Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s most important topics as well as exclusive podcast content. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch on-demand, totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today
Intelligence Squared 
