Not sure if this is the inspiration for it, but I remember hearing a tale about a girl who was accused of witch craft or sorcery or devilry or some such. It was in a society that believed beauty was bestowed by the gods, and on her trial, the argument that won her the case was her disrobing and declaring that she could not possibly be guilty because the gods gave her this body.
At least, that's how I remember it. I couldn't find anything on this painting or the story online.
You might be thinking of the painting Phryne Before the Areopagus. There's a lot of variations on this painting. The general story is a man removes the clothing of a woman (usually being accused of sorcery/impiety) in front of a judge/jury in order to sway their opinion. Or to "prove" that her beauty was from God/gods and not something she bestowed upon herself with sorcery.
It's a story about Phryne, she was courtesan in Greece born around 370 BC, an actual person. We don't know much about her life other than she was self made and one of the richest women in Greece at the time. She also happened to be very famous.
This version of the story is likely a dramatization after the fact. Where she is brought on trial for impiety by a man known for frivolous trials. She bares herself and beauty is seen as a blessing of the gods and is acquitted. May or may not have actually happened but it's a good story.
We do know that there was a trial, there is an account by the man who spoke in her defense, Hypereides. We also know she was beautiful and popular enough that she was able to charge very high prices even in old age.
She is also said to be the model for the original Aphrodite of Knidos statue. Which was destroyed but there were of boat load of copies made in antiquity.
9 Comments
ComicalMayhem@lemmy.world · 29 pts · 4d
Not sure if this is the inspiration for it, but I remember hearing a tale about a girl who was accused of witch craft or sorcery or devilry or some such. It was in a society that believed beauty was bestowed by the gods, and on her trial, the argument that won her the case was her disrobing and declaring that she could not possibly be guilty because the gods gave her this body.
At least, that's how I remember it. I couldn't find anything on this painting or the story online.
garth@sh.itjust.works · 19 pts · 4d
"If the girl is fit, you must acquit!"
sad_detective_man@sopuli.xyz · 3 pts · 4d
If her hips do not lie, she cannot be tried
Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 12 pts · 4d
tetrachromacy@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 4d
You might be thinking of the painting Phryne Before the Areopagus. There's a lot of variations on this painting. The general story is a man removes the clothing of a woman (usually being accused of sorcery/impiety) in front of a judge/jury in order to sway their opinion. Or to "prove" that her beauty was from God/gods and not something she bestowed upon herself with sorcery.
TessaRekt@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 6 pts · 4d
It's a story about Phryne, she was courtesan in Greece born around 370 BC, an actual person. We don't know much about her life other than she was self made and one of the richest women in Greece at the time. She also happened to be very famous.
This version of the story is likely a dramatization after the fact. Where she is brought on trial for impiety by a man known for frivolous trials. She bares herself and beauty is seen as a blessing of the gods and is acquitted. May or may not have actually happened but it's a good story.
We do know that there was a trial, there is an account by the man who spoke in her defense, Hypereides. We also know she was beautiful and popular enough that she was able to charge very high prices even in old age.
She is also said to be the model for the original Aphrodite of Knidos statue. Which was destroyed but there were of boat load of copies made in antiquity.
tquid@sh.itjust.works · 6 pts · 4d
The Doukhobors, an obscure Christian sect in Canada that fled persecution in Russia, rather famously would strip down in court as a form of protest.
Emma_Gold_Man@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 4d
Do as the Doukhobors Do
I couldn't find a version sung by the songwriter (Malvina Reynolds) so this is Pete Seeger's version
dismay3915@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 4d
Your honor! Dem titties ain't be lying!