Ahead of the Curve: On the Ideal of Female Beauty, From Rubens to Gautier

The term “Rubenesque,” used to describe a curvy, full-bodied woman, is a direct reference to the female forms lovingly depicted in the work of Peter Paul Rubens. But while his subjects were viewed admiringly in their time, over the centuries, attitudes towards them have changed beyond recognition. This lecture will examine the changing ideals of beauty and female body shapes throughout history, through the eternal mirrors of fashion and art. From Rubens in the 16th century to Jean Paul Gaultier’s beloved muses in the 20th and 21st, we will examine the complex, stormy gaze that society and fashion companies have turned onto the once-exalted Rubenesque woman.