The collection at the V&A was largely formed from a series of gifts from Victorian collectors. In the 19th century the nude was considered, along with history painting, to be at the top of the hierarchy of genres. Therefore, its representation was pivotal to many artists’ careers.
Whereas in the 18th century the focus was primarily on the representation of the male nude body, in the 19th century the nude as a genre became identified specifically with the female body.
