Let's Get Cheeky 

Paul Gauguin set off for Tahiti in June 1891, dreaming of a paradise where he could "listen to the silence of beautiful tropical nights." While his painting Tahitian Women Bathing resembles his other Polynesian paintings, it was not painted in oil on canvas. Instead, it was painted in oil on paper and began as a sheet of working drawings. The large sheet was later mounted on canvas, retouched, and varnished, presumably to prepare it for sale.

The unusual evolution of this painting from a sheet of working drawings provides insight into Gauguin's methodology as a draftsman and painter. It also accounts for the painting's compositional disharmony. The different elements of the painting were not originally intended to be seen together, and the artist's later additions and revisions did not fully resolve the disharmony.

Between 1890 and 1892, Jean-Léon Gérôme created several artworks based on the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea. This is one of three known oil paintings that depict the moment when the goddess Venus brings the sculpture of Galatea to life, fulfilling Pygmalion's wish for a wife as beautiful as his creation. The painting is closely related to a polychrome marble sculpture by Gérôme that is now on display at Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. In each of the paintings, the sculpture appears from a different angle, as though it were being viewed in the round.

Courbet's artwork departs from the conventional portrayal of an idealized female figure in academic allegories. Instead of presenting a hyper-idealized nude, he depicts a woman embracing a cascade of water. This may have been a direct response to Ingres' work, which features a nude holding a jar from which water symbolically flows. Courbet's portrayal is more down-to-earth and realistic, offering a more natural representation of a woman interacting with water.

Lautrec's art often delved into the secluded and idle existence of prostitutes, becoming a powerful subject in his body of work. His portfolio comprises approximately fifty paintings devoted to their lives, accompanied by numerous drawings and prints, including the color lithograph series, Elles, completed just a year before this painting.

In this particular artwork, Lautrec doesn't seek to flatter the woman's naked form, nor does he reveal the expression reflected in her mirror. Instead, the woman appears to be honestly and candidly assessing herself, taking a raw and unembellished appraisal of her own image. The artist's portrayal captures a sense of realism and unguarded vulnerability, reflecting the unvarnished reality of the woman's life and emotions.

This artwork is believed to have been created by the young Courbet shortly after he arrived in Paris in 1839. At the time, he was studying under Baron Charles de Steuben and later at the Académie Suisse. In that era, artistic subjects drawn from antiquity and biblical themes were highly valued, and skillfully portraying the unclothed male body was considered a significant milestone in an artist's development. While only a few surviving works from Courbet's early years exist, the exact origins of this painting are unclear.

Inspired by tales from Ovid's Metamorphoses, Titian embarked on a series of paintings that he referred to as poesie, a poetic expression through paint. In this particular artwork, Venus is depicted desperately trying to prevent her lover from leaving for the hunt, as she foresees, correctly, the tragic fate that awaits him. The painting exudes a sensuous mood, intensified by the beautifully portrayed Venus, seen from behind, and adds to the viewer's sense of the impending tragedy, evident in their exchanged glances and the fearful presence of Cupid.

Titian's workshop produced multiple versions of this composition, but the one presented here stands out for its exceptional quality as it was personally painted by Titian himself.

Lucas Cranach the Elder gained widespread acclaim as a court painter for the electors of Saxony in Wittenberg. His workshop produced many sought-after mythological scenes for the courtly patrons, with a particular focus on Venus-themed paintings. One of his most famous works is the Judgment of Paris, created around 1528.

The painting depicts Paris, clad in contemporary armor, as he contemplates the three goddesses: Minerva, Venus, and Juno, each vying for the title of the fairest. Adjacent to them, Mercury holds the coveted prize—an orb resembling a golden apple. Cupid, in the scene, takes aim with his arrow at Venus, indicating Paris's ultimate decision in favor of the goddess of love.

During the 1880s, Renoir found himself captivated by nudes and the classical art's illustrious legacy. In this particular painting, he sought to pay homage to Ingres's famous work, the Grande Odalisque, exhibited at the Musée du Louvre in Paris. However, Renoir put his unique twist on the subject, transforming Ingres's cool and composed courtesan into a vibrant and rosy-cheeked young girl. Similarly, he reimagined the harem setting into an Impressionist landscape that evokes the serene beauty of the Channel coast. Renoir's reinterpretation infuses the classical theme with his characteristic impressionistic style and a celebration of healthy youth and the allure of nature.