Watercolour and graphite on paper
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/henry-fuseli-198" aria-label="More by Henry Fuseli" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Henry Fuseli</a>
Debutante
Presented by Lady Holroyd in accordance with the wishes of the late Sir Charles Holroyd 1919
actions: postures and motions
actions: processes and functions
adults
art and craft
body
brothel
caricature
clothing and personal items
cup / mug
embroidery
eroticism
furnishings
group
groups
hair
hat, bonnet
headdress
interiors
kitchen
leisure and pastimes
literature (not Shakespeare)
literature and fiction
looking / watching
objects
people
places of entertainment
Richardson, Samuel, ‘Pamela’
sex and relationships
sitting
social comment
society
table
woman
<p>This is one of numerous drawings  in which Fuseli explored his fantasies about  dominant women. In such drawings, Fuseli  usually portrayed women as cruel sexual  predators, dressed in elaborate costumes  and head-dresses.</p><p>The precise subject of this drawing is not known, but the women are probably high class prostitutes, or courtesans. The woman in the foreground, who is sewing, appears  to be tethered by a lead round her neck.  The large woman seated to the left might  be the person in charge of the 'bagnio',  or brothel.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2004</em></p>
paper unique watercolour graphite
22 April 2002 – 17 November 2002
2002-11-17
22 April 2002 – 17 November 2002
2002-11-17
2002-04-22
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2002-04-22
Caricature and Satire
Collection based display
14 October 2005 – 8 January 2006
2006-01-08
14 October 2005 – 8 January 2006
2006-01-08
2005-10-14
Kunsthaus Zürich (Zürich, Switzerland)
http://www.kunsthaus.ch/
2005-10-14
Johann Heinrich Fuseli
Loan-out
15 February 2006 – 1 May 2006
2006-05-01
15 February 2006 – 1 May 2006
2006-05-01
2006-02-15
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2006-02-15
Gothic Nightmares: Fuseli, Blake and the Romantic Imagination
Exhibition
15 November 2021 – 10 April 2022
2022-04-10
15 November 2021 – 10 April 2022
2022-04-10
2021-11-15
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2021-11-15
Poetical Bodies: Works on Paper by Blake and his Contemporaries
Collection based display
1 October 2022 – 21 May 2023
2023-05-21
1 October 2022 – 31 January 2023
2023-01-31
2022-10-01
The Courtauld Gallery (London, UK)
http://www.courtauld.ac.uk
24 February 2023 – 21 May 2023
2023-05-21
2023-02-24
Kunsthaus Zürich (Zürich, Switzerland)
http://www.kunsthaus.ch/
2022-10-01
Fuseli, Femininity and Fantasy
Loan-out
29 October 2024 – 30 September 2025
2025-09-30
30 October 2024 – 2 February 2025
2025-02-02
2024-10-30
Reggia di Venaria Reale (Turin, Italy)
1 September 2025 – 31 January 2026
2026-01-31
2025-09-01
Museum of Fine Arts (Budapest, Hungary)
1 March 2026 – 31 August 2026
2026-08-31
2026-03-01
External
2024-10-29
William Blake and the Age of Romantic Fantasy: British Art & Imagination
Loan-out
The Debutante
frame: 691 × 558 × 22 mm
support: 371 × 243 mm
image: 357 × 232 mm
Presented by Lady Holroyd in accordance with the wishes of the late Sir Charles Holroyd 1919
<p>
This is one of numerous <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/d/drawing" title="Glossary definition for 'Drawing'"><span>drawings</span></a> <br/>
in which Fuseli explored his fantasies about <br/>
dominant women. In such drawings, Fuseli <br/>
usually portrayed women as cruel sexual <br/>
predators, dressed in elaborate costumes <br/>
and head-dresses.</p>
<p>
 </p>
<p>
The precise subject of this drawing is not known, but the women are probably high class prostitutes, or courtesans. The woman in the foreground, who is sewing, appears <br/>
to be tethered by a lead round her neck. <br/>
The large woman seated to the left might <br/>
be the person in charge of the 'bagnio', <br/>
or brothel.</p>
Display caption
2004-09-08T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
actions: postures and motions actions: processes and functions adults art and craft body brothel caricature clothing and personal items cup / mug embroidery eroticism furnishings group groups hair hat, bonnet headdress interiors kitchen leisure and pastimes literature and fiction literature (not Shakespeare) looking / watching objects people places of entertainment Richardson, Samuel, ‘Pamela’ sex and relationships sitting social comment society table woman