Voyages in art history. This painting emerged from a conversation about representation, ideas of beauty and masculinity.
I believe there are many ways of being, and presenting as, a man. Madame D explores the duality of my model, Daniel (D), who possesses a tall, gym-trained physique traditionally viewed as masculine, yet identifies as a self-described “sissy” with a love of feminine dress and attitude.
Through this work, I seek to represent aspects of masculinity that may unsettle some viewers, but are, to my eye, valid and worthy of appreciation. I wanted to portray Daniel with beauty and dignity, balanced by the wit and sense of fun that we share.
Inspired by François Boucher’s 1756 portrait of Madame de Pompadour, I subverted traditional elements of portraiture. For example, the inclusion of a fashion book alludes to Daniel's career while maintaining the 'seriously frivolous' trope of 18th-century Rococo painting. While borrowing background elements from Boucher, I recreated the foreground, props, and drapery in my studio—first sketching the composition before executing the final work in oil on a glazed board.
