In this episode of pplpod, we dive into the fascinating story behind Emperor Haute Couture, the highly controversial 2011 Canadian oil painting by artist Margaret Sutherland. This infamous piece of Canadian political art made headlines nationwide for depicting the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, entirely in the nude.

We explore the artistic and political sources of inspiration behind the canvas. Sutherland modeled the piece after Édouard Manet's famous painting Olympia and titled it as a clever nod to the classic short story "The Emperor's New Clothes". We discuss how the painting served as a deliberate critique of the Harper Government, specifically highlighting the lack of female cabinet ministers—a point driven home by the depiction of a woman in a purple suit rep ...