This is one of my fav paintings in the Leeds collection. It is Lady Godiva by Edmund Blair Leighton. Painted in 1892 it depicts the moment the absolute Icon Lady Godiva herself challenged her husband, Leofric, for the 3rd time to repeal the ridiculously high taxes he was imposing on the people of Coventry
This time he challenged her back and said that if she wanted him to lower that taxes that badly she would ride thru Coventry naked on horseback
Obvs we know from history/legend that she did it but here in this moment we see her clutching her metaphorical pearls but also trying to cover her already covered tits
The dress she is depicted in here is shapely but demure, with noticeable layers. Stick some cinnamon swirls on her head and she’d be serving princess leia realiness right there in the 1070s. Her white gown is being used here as a symbol of morality as well to show us that she is the righteous one and her husband is the bad guy in the same way that princess leia and darth vader are at the start of a new hope.
The scene is taking place at the breakfast (brunch? Is lady godiva a Hun?) table, we can tell this from the kind of light Leighton has given us in this painting that lovely light morning glow and the fact that the sconce with the candle in on the wall is not lit
They even have fresh food laid out and it is intended to give us the vibes of an intimate setting where this private conversation between husband and wife is about to play out very messily in public
Like Lady Godiva riding thru the streets to protest her husbands taxes has the energy of Grimes tweeting at Elon Musk to turn his phone off after he tweeted ‘pronouns suck’
Leofric’s stance is not one of anger or aggression and is actually pretty relaxed showing off his confidence that he doesn't believe she is girlboss enough to do it. Her arms are close to her body giving her a guarded stance while his are open leaving him exposed.
Leighton is giving us a much more interesting take than just naked girlboss horsegirl which every other painter goes for