The Duel and The Reconciliation, 1884 by Émile-Antoine Bayard (French, 1837–1891)
OMG was this the one where they were fighting over a flower arrangement lol
yesssss
wait. NOT yes
this one was BEFORE the one I’m talking about?
above painting: 1884
below link: 1892
almost a century between topless swordfights?
https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/54537
a tabloid sensation of the time, all the talk of the town, who knows how much basis in reality the story had but it definitely captured the public imagination, hahaaaa
(I think I read that the supposed reason for bein topless was it’s worse to get stabbed through cloth, infection-wise. So, if it’s just a fight to the first cut, and you aren’t aiming to kill, you get undressed for hygiene/safety reasons)
(I mean. Men take off their shirts to fight, so why not ladies too? Equality.)