THE SENSUALITY OF YESTERDAY, TRANSFORMED INTO THE COMMODITY OF TODAY.
Extended Description:
This reinterpretation of Madrazo y Garreta’s After the Bath (1895) reflects the evolution of sensuality in the modern world. Where once the act of bathing and post-bath intimacy was a private, elegant display of femininity, today it has been commodified, stripped of its intimacy, and transformed into a public spectacle. The subject, now adorned with tattoos and holding a phone, represents how women in the digital age have turned their bodies into a marketplace—where the act of sharing their image and sensuality online has become a means of financial gain. This transformation speaks to the blurred line between empowerment and exploitation in the digital world, where intimacy is monetized for visibility and attention. The phone symbolizes the tool that makes this commodification possible, highlighting the disconnect between the romanticized past and the harsh, transactional nature of modern femininity.
About the Original Work:
José Royo Madrazo (1852–1902), a Spanish artist known for his delicate and sensual depictions of the female form, created After the Bath in 1895. The painting shows a woman in the privacy of her home, after bathing, exuding innocence and elegance. The piece embodies the late 19th-century fascination with female beauty, capturing a moment of quiet sensuality that was traditionally viewed as pure and intimate. Madrazo’s work remains an iconic example of this era’s artistic ideals, showcasing the refined and dignified portrayal of women.
