This further explanation of the painting and the model reveals that the model was treated pretty similarly to Lulu- she hated the painting but didn't own it herself and therefore didn't have the power to destroy it. The painter loved the image of the model but not her personality (he complained that she was "lazy"), which calls to our attention the differences between the celebrated images of women and the mostly hated group of people, women. The painting apparently ruined her reputation because being sexy, not even necessarily sexual, is a very bad thing for women to be.
The link above is basically a fansite for the painter, John Singer Sargent, so read it with a grain of salt. I just ordered the book those long quotes are from and I'll have some much better analysis pretty soon.
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