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Throughout history, we see women in a position that is seen as inferior in society. All the beauty demonstrated in these paintings covers up an ugly truth of what these influential women went through in their daily lives. In this exhibition, we will take the time to peel back the layers of beauty and influence these women demonstrate to see the painful and hideous secrets they hold.                                       First, we take a look at Kuroda Seiki's "A Mako Girl," 1893. Makos are young girls who are in the art of training to be Geishas. Geishas are widely known as entertainers who have an array of captivating skills to host parties and other major events for male clientele. Geishas are held in high regard among the Japanese people for they dedicate their entire lives to the art of their craft. The dark side to that is they spend their entire lives in service of entertaining men without the prospect of having a family or potential lovers. In juxtaposition, the artwork created by Kuroda depicts such a beautiful scene; the girl in the main focus has a colorful kimono that is traditional to Makos. The serene background, gentle softness, and light of the painting mask a hard life, full of sacrifice.     

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Kuroda Seiki, A Maiko Girl, 1893. Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, Oil On Canvas.

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Kuroda Seiki, A Maiko Girl, 1893. Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, Oil On Canvas.

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Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour, 1756, Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany, Oil On Canvas.

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Francois Boucher, Madame de Pompadour, 1756, Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany, Oil On Canvas.

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Vanity Fair Cover, Sep 2020, Featuring Amy Sherald, Breonna Taylor, 2020, Oil On Linen.

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Vanity Fair Cover, Sep 2020, Featuring Amy Sherald, Breonna Taylor, 2020, Oil On Linen.

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Moving on to François Boucher's "Madame de Pompadour" (1756), a beautiful example of Rococo paintings, she is brightly colorful, soft, and elegant in this portrait. The look on her face exudes contentment in life and in love. Once the veil is pushed back, we realize that this is the mistress of King Louis XV. While yes, she had marvelous influence in France, even more so than the queen, the title of mistress is not one that is respected in most cultures, and the same holds true for Europe. You may be the king's favorite, but you will never be queen.   

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The final work we will talk about is Amy Sherald's "Vanity Fair Cover, Breonna Taylor" (2020). Absolutely stunning is Breonna; she resonates beauty and a modern-day Lady Liberty. If you were not familiar with her story, just from Sherald's painting, you can feel her importance and influence through her stance and facial expression. Breonna was an emergency room tech; she wanted to help people in her community and instead was gunned down in her apartment unjustly by police officers. Her death prompted outrage and the beginning of change in 2020 to the police force. Racially unjust crimes are prominent in today's society, and unfortunately, Breonna was seen as collateral damage.