Prostitution in art - The illicit muses of artists

It is well known that several famous painters have portrayed prostitution in art; from Manet to van Gogh, the artists who have portrayed prostitutes are famous. This is a very common practice among painters of yesteryear, because in order to capture the body of a naked woman, it was not easy to find someone who was willing to shed their clothes like an escort.

Before, it was difficult for a respectable woman to undress before someone other than her husband; so the artists had to turn to people who could let them see their naked body, the easiest and most frequent being a prostitute. Most of the time, the hiring of the services of these precursors to the escorts was for purely artistic purposes; the painter sought to be able to capture in his paintings the anatomical silhouettes of his models.

Prostitution in art

As we have indicated before, prostitution in art was a common resource among painters of yesteryear; Even today, there are artists who use these resources to capture their art from a more vivid and natural point of view.

Édouard Manet - Olympia

While the muse is known to create Olympia She was not a prostitute, but Victorine-Louise Meurent, a famous model among artists of the time; the very image of the woman within the painting is. Olympia, an oil painting on canvas, was first exhibited in Paris in 1865, causing a stir among Parisians of the time.

The position of her body, her cold gaze, the indifferent way with which she gazes at the bouquet held by her servant; as well as the black ribbon tied around her neck and the orchid in her hair, clearly hint at Olympia's profession, even her name is associated with prostitutes.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec - La Toilette

Toulouse-Lautrec was a regular fan of prostitutes, it is known that he was a frequent customer of the Moulin Rouge and various brothels in the area. The artist always painted the daily life of the trade; In his works, he never demonized or demonized prostitution in art, he painted and shared the social relationships that existed between the practitioners of prostitution.

the toilette It is a piece painted in oil on cardboard, inspired by Carmen Gaudin, a professional laundress who prostituted herself to survive. In the work, the artist reflects a bit of this life, depicting in pastel colors a woman who lacks clothes and who is surrounded by objects that are part of her daily life.

Vincent van Gogh - Temple

It is not common to associate Vincent van Gogh with prostitutes, his self-portraits, sunflowers and his starry night sky being more relevant; however, like many other artists of his time, van Gogh painted prostitutes. Sien she was a homeless woman who was pregnant by the time the artist met her; To everyone's surprise, Van Gogh took in the prostitute, his daughter and the subsequent son she would have.

The painter boldly detailed the woman, he painted her doing different everyday things; such as feeding your child, smoking a cigarette, or simply appreciating your nudity.

Henri Gervex - Rolla

Gervex was one of the artists who most expressed prostitution in art. Most of his works were based on myths and stories, being a frequent excuse to contemplate naked women's bodies. Rolla is inspired by a poem by Alfred de Musset.

Roll it was an oil-on-canvas painting that caused a stir since its conception in 1878. Banned as immoral, the scene suggests that Rolla, a young hedonist, has just had sex with a teenage prostitute; It is understood that she is a prostitute because of the different objects that surround the scene, such as the corset and the undone clothes. This scandal helped make the play popular.

Pablo Picasso - Les Demoiselles D'Avignon

Picasso's style was always different from that of his contemporaries. Les Demoiselles D'Avignon it is an uncomfortable work, aggressive to the eye and comforting. This oil on canvas painting reflects the disjointed two-dimensional shapes of the female body when it is undressed; he is totally deprived of the sensuality and beauty of his muses.

Picasso's inspiration for the creation of this work was "primitive" art, the incoherent manner of forms. It is specified that part of his inspiration was an exhibition of Iberian and African masks that were on display in the city of Paris at that time; being reflected in his work on the faces of prostitutes.

Conclusion

As you may have noticed, prostitution in art has been of great interest to various renowned artists. Famous for drawing silhouettes and sensuality, artists have gone hand in hand with the oldest profession in the world, all for the love of art.

If you are interested in learning more about historical aspects of the escort trade, we invite you to read about the Most famous prostitutes in history; so also of Sex, prostitutes and brothels: the old West.