La Nature Se Dévoilant à la Science:

Louis-Ernest Barrias' Original La Nature Se Dévoilant à la Science
was made just before the turn of the 18th century
as part of the Art Nouveau movement. 

This statue explores analogies of men & women by personifying the woman as nature and man as science. The allegory behind this sculpture is that nature, the woman, is readily revealing herself to science, the man.
What does this imply about women? what about men?

How might the artist be reflecting his times view of nature?

Her exposed breasts and willing submission might reflect a somewhat fantastical breakthrough of science, or man, about nature's hidden treasures. The time that the statue was made was also roughly around the time of the scientific revolution.  The fact that nature is depicted as a willingly, striping woman, revealing desired secrets might also suggest that the ease of dominance will view nature as a mindless body.  ...What else could be interpreted?