the limited access to nude figures impeded the careers and development of female artists. the most prestigious forms of painting required in-depth knowledge of anatomy that was systematically denied to women, who were thereby relegated to less-regarded forms of painting such as genre, still life, landscape and portraiture. in linda nochlin’s essay "why have there been no great women artists" she identifies the restricted access that women had to nude figure drawing as a historically significant barrier to women's artistic development.