Shady Ladies of the Metropolitan Museum tour

All tours meet in the Met's Great Hall, to the right of the entrance, at the feet of the colossal ancient Egyptian pharaoh statue, 15 minutes before the start time.

Courtesans, royal mistresses, scandalous women of every sort—the walls of the Metropolitan Museum are lined with them, from ancient Greek hetaerae to Sargent’s Madame X.

These women, famous not only for sex-appeal but also for their talents—and for a spirit which today we would call ‘entrepreneurial’— fascinated both their wealthy patrons and the artists who created the world’s great masterpieces.

But who were they? How did they rise to their positions? And how did they maintain their prominence despite their scandalous reputations?

To find out, join us as we explore the lives and loves that lie behind the paintings. On this fun and informative 2-hour Metropolitan Museum tour, we will learn about:

• the first nude female statue in ancient Greece and the hetaera who modeled for it
• the oiran of the pleasure quarter of 18th century Tokyo
• a Venetian courtesan who published books of poetry
• the official royal mistresses of the French kings
• a royal bastard who is the ancestor of many English aristocrats
• the grandes horizontales of Belle Epoque Paris
• And so much more…

Come discover the racy and intriguing backstories behind the Metropolitan Museum’s collections. The Shady Ladies tour will change the way you see the museum—and art itself—forever.

TOUR MEETS IN MET'S GREAT HALL, TO THE RIGHT OF THE ENTRANCE, AT THE FEET OF THE COLOSSAL ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PHARAOH STATUE, 15 MINUTES BEFORE TOUR START TIME. Please leave yourself time for museum security and the coatroom line! Note that there are no restrooms available in the great hall, but a restroom break will be made during the tour.

Prof. Andrew Lear is a renowned expert on same-sex relations in Greek and Roman antiquity. During his academic career, he taught at Harvard, Pomona College, and NYU. In recent years, he has founded Oscar Wilde Tours, the LGBTQ history and culture tour company and Shady Ladies Tours, a women's history and culture tour company. He is also working with Stephen Fry and Tan France on an LGBTQ+ history TV series.

Event Venue

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Avenue, New York, United States

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