A Rose, Thomas Anshutz, 1907

Meet ‘A Rose’ model, Rebecca Whelen, daughter of a trustee of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and muse to Thomas Anshutz. His painting, A Rose, illustrates her power in a time when women were expected to conform to societal roles. By casting the rose in a dim light and highlighting Whelen’s intellectuality, he is challenging us to see her-- and all women-- as something much more than just another item of beauty.