Woman at her Toilet, Jan Havicksz. Steen, 1655 - 1660
oil on panel, h 37cm × w 27.5cm More details
Presented here is an intimate moment of a young woman undressing before going to bed. She is in the midst of pulling off a stocking, with the imprint of the garter still visible just below her knee. The raised skirt provides a glimpse along her legs. Such explicit nudity, however, was not always deemed acceptable; until a hundred years ago, an underskirt was painted over her thighs.
