Mother Liberty and the Seducer - Woman in Three Stages

Alex McDonald
Woman in Three Stages, Edvard Munch, 1895
Woman in Three Stages
Mother Liberty and the Seducer
Curated by Alex McDonald

Curator's Note: This is the fourth installment in a series of blog posts where I have presented short fiction based off the paintings in my collection. If, please go read my three prior posts. Thank you.

The Woman’s revolution succeeds and her image becomes a symbol, a rallying cry for all the abused.

Decades later, a young Girl sees the woman’s image and wonders how can a woman hold such respect? She even has her chest bare. All she has to offer, out in the open for all to see. And they still admire her?

The Girl bites her lip. She is familiar with a different painting, Edvard Munch’s Woman in Three Stages.

The Girl dreams of a wedding on a beach. Her dress will be white like every other bride’s. And on the wedding night she will lie naked before her husband. Nothing will be held back because he wants it all. She will smile and enjoy it.
But after the romance ends, she will cover her breasts and become an old woman.
The Devil smells his chance and laughs. Where is your husband? He isn’t even in the picture.

Well… He’s….

He never was. You’d do this even if you never found a husband.  Men are not the ones dictating this cycle. Women are. Marriage, sex, death. That’s all you’re good for.

But Mother Liberty? She broke the cycle. Look at her!

Are you like her? Do you flash your chest around for all to rally behind? What have you inspired?

Nothing.

The Devil smiles. And what are you gonna do about it?

The Girl locks eyes with the Devil. Everything.

The Girl spits at Munch’s painting. And Mother Liberty. She doesn’t need others telling her how to live. She will make her own decisions.
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Mother Liberty and the Seducer - The Defenseless Rose

Alex McDonald
Michel Garnier, The Defenseless Rose, 1789
The Defenseless Rose
Mother Liberty and the Seducer
Curated by Alex McDonald

Curator’s note: After looking through the art in my collection, I found a story. It’s one of evolving feminine roles in the art world from the 17th to the 21st century. My short fiction tries to create a narrative out of what I found, enjoy.

Unguarded, the Girl in The Defenseless Rose by Michel Garnier stands defenseless to what the Rococo Man wants. Her rose is about to be picked.

The Girl left the party early, probably to escape the Man’s gaze. He’s been eyeing her all day. And in the company of her friends and family too. Well, when the Rococo Man follows her into the dressing room, the sense of impending danger becomes a reality. He’s a wild French aristocrat who’s used to getting what he wants. He has money, power, and a perfect family to boost.

She’s scared because she knows she can’t win this fight. In fact, she hasn’t been in a fight her whole life. Women don’t fight. They are born, get married and promptly give birth. They raise children. And then they die.

She tries to run past the Rococo Man, back to her friends. He catches her, throwing her against the windowsill. A full vase and book fall. Fragments of glass scatter across the floor. The Rococo Man doesn’t care. No one will hear them. They will not choose to hear.

In her heart, she knows this too. That’s why she doesn’t call for help.

The Girl twirls towards the window. The light feels good on her face. She’ll think about this.

Meanwhile, he takes off his hat and tosses it over the baby statue’s eyes. We don’t need children seeing this.

The Rococo Man gets in between her and the window. She reaches to push his arm out of the way, but it firmly grips the rose. If she pushes, he will only snap the rose’s stem sooner. She is trapped… nowhere to go. Oblivion lies before; a Devil's laughter reaches her ears.

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