Scandals and Secrets of the Metropolitan Museum
Come discover the artworks in the Met that caused scandals and hid secrets, works that shocked and titillated viewers then and now!
Cost: $12. Please note that this fee helps keep our small business going during the crisis so we can get up and running right away when it is safe to bring people together again in person.
Tickets: metscandalsandsecrets.eventbrite.com
Courtesans, royal mistresses, scandalous women of every sort—the walls of the Metropolitan Museum are lined with them, from ancient Greek hetaerae to Japanese oiran and the grandes horizontales of Belle Epoque Paris.
These women, famous not only for sex appeal but also for their talents—and for a spirit which today we would call ‘entrepreneurial’—fascinated both their wealthy patrons and the artists who made them the subject of their masterpieces.
But who were they? How did they rise to their positions? And how did they maintain their prominence despite their scandalous reputations?
To find out, join us as we explore the lives and loves that lie behind the paintings. On this fun and informative tour of the Metropolitan Museum, we will learn about:
the first nude female statue in ancient Greece and the hetaera who modeled for it
the oiran of the pleasure quarter of 18th century Tokyo
a Venetian courtesan who published books of poetry
the official royal mistresses of the French kings
the courtesans of Georgian London
the grandes horizontales of Belle Epoque Paris
And so much more…
Come discover the racy and intriguing backstories behind the Metropolitan Museum’s collections. The Shady Ladies tour will change the way you see the museum—and art itself—forever.
ABOUT OUR SPEAKER
Andrew Lear is a renowned expert on same-sex relations in Greek and Roman antiquity. During his academic career, he taught at Harvard, Pomona College, and NYU. In recent years, he has founded Oscar Wilde Tours, the LGBTQ history and culture tour company and Shady Ladies Tours, the women's history and culture tour company. He is also working with actor/author Stephen Fry on a podcast about the "Scandals and Secrets of London's National Portrait Gallery."