Such narratives “veiled the potential homoeroticism of the works,” suggests Barlow. Even works which, to the modern viewer, look blatantly homoerotic could be respectably contained within the framework of the classical male nude, the ideal of Hellenic youthful beauty, or celebration of noble male friendship.
Or, at least, confine themselves to a raised eyebrow. But as long as there was a degree of ambiguity – in both the work, and the artist’s proclivities – 19th Century society was prepared to turn a blind eye.
