The Beautiful Miss Pettigrews

In the 1880s and 1890s, a woman modeling for artists was not much better than prostitution, since they posed nude without a chaperone. Three sisters--Hettie, Lily, and Rosie Pettigrew--chose to make a living from this profession. They became minor celebrities in London, England, and even claimed their job on censuses. They were admired for their pre-Raphaelite looks. The works for which the Pettigrews posed are highlighted, with a look at their work with such artists as Philip Wilson Steer, Edward Linley Sambourne, John William Godward.