The Harcourt Set (2009)

In collaboration with Studio Harcourt Paris

Commissioned by the Centre Georges Pompidou Paris, for the show Paris- Delhi- Bombay

The artist chose to recreate and perform in three 19th century images from French history to talk about the place of women in French society. While Delacroix’s ‘Liberty’ is an iconic painting about the French Revolution, Ingres Orientalist painting of a hamam scene, beloved of French painters,  brings up the history of colonial domination. In the strongly patriarchal French society there were powerful women who were royal mistresses, like the Countess Castiglione, the mistress of Napoleon III, who worked as diplomat and spy for the court.

The Spy

(after 19c photograph of Countess Castiglione by Pierson)

Archival inkjet print
edition of 6
2009

The Slave and her Slave

(after 19c French print based on Ingres painting)

Archival inkjet print
Size 53.9x 43.3 in.
edition of 6
2009

Liberty

(after Delacroix)

Archival inkjet print,
size 72.4×58.3 in.
edition of 6
2009