Sotheby's Talks: Women and Power: How Have Powerful Women Been Represented in Western Culture?

Sotheby’s [Women] Artists presents a panel discussion featuring classicist Mary Beard and Sotheby’s specialist Holly Braine. How has Western culture depicted powerful women down the ages? To what extent have they been packaged into a male template? And how much have they been able to control their own image? Chaired by cultural critic Shahidha Bari, the conversation will range from sculptures of ancient goddesses such as Aphrodite and Athena, to portraits of Queen Elizabeth I as ‘Gloriana’, to the empowered politicians and cultural icons of today.