The Second Oldest Profession – Duane Thomas Gallery, USA

Duane Thomas Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of works on paper and sculpture by artist Barbara Zucker, opening on February 12, 2026, with a reception from 6 to 8 PM. The exhibition coincides with the publication and launch of Zucker’s book, The Second Oldest Profession: The Wet Nurse, Revered and Reviled, published by Abbeville Press.

Conceived as both a social history and a feminist act of reparation, The Second Oldest Profession investigates the largely erased history of wet nursing—an ancient occupation shaped by class, race, misogyny, and economic necessity. The exhibition brings Zucker’s decades-long research into physical form, presenting works that explore breastfeeding, labor, care, and the female body. Several works on view are featured in the book, underscoring the deep interrelationship between Zucker’s visual practice and her scholarship.
The exhibition will be on view at Duane Thomas Gallery from February 12 through March 12, 2026. Copies of The Second Oldest Profession: The Wet Nurse, Revered and Reviled will be available at the gallery.