Lady Godiva was the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia in Coventry, England in the 11th Century. When the Earl placed oppressive taxation laws on the people of Coventry, Lady Godiva felt for its citizens and appealed to her husband over and over to change the law. He finally said he would do so should she ride naked on a horse through the streets of town. She issued a proclamation in town for all people to stay indoors and not look out the windows until the ride concluded, but a tailor named Tom came out and stared at her throughout the ride. That is how we get the term ‘Peeping Tom.’ In the painting the streets are empty, and not even Peeping Tom is present. Are we the Peeping Tom here?⠀
