What do Polykleitos, a Greek sculptor, Raphael, a Renaissance master, Picasso, a controversial Cubist sensation, and Bob Ross, a painter of happy accidents, all have in common? They are all male artists who dominated the arts scene throughout a variety of eras. It is long overdue that women artists be put on the same pedestal as men. This post praises our strong, independent women artists who don’t need a man to make her famous!
Linda Nochlin with Deborah Kass's Orange Disaster (Linda Nochlin), 1997, on view in "BLOODFLAMES REVISITED" at Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York, in 2014. Courtesy of Patrick McMullan, photographer Clint Spaulding.
Historically, art has been a predominantly male discipline. Dating back to before the French Academy, women were not allowed to train with male artists. The subject of the nude, the human figure — the basic building block of all artistic training — had been deemed too scandalous for a woman to study. Without drawing the “academic nude” how were women supposed to break into the art world?
Linda Nochlin, a leading American feminist art historian, details the plight of women in the art world. Her 1971 essay, “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?” discusses the social, cultural, and political barriers that prohibited women from partaking in the arts world. Besides lacking an art education, as previously mentioned, women were also put in the situation as being the “muses” for many pieces. Nochlin questions how women are supposed to react to a female nude that was intended for the male viewer. And heavens forbid if a woman had her own sexual desires painted on a canvas — the scandal! These following women used their art to reclaim their autonomy and to make a name for women in the art world.
Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Beheading Holofernes, c. 1620, oil on canvas. Photo Courtesy of The Uffizi Gallery, Florence.
Artemisia Gentileschi: An Italian Baroque painter, Gentileschi rocked the complacent art world as she created pieces that challenged societal-gender norms. In her iconic painting, Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1620-21 (now at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence), a servant woman (Judith) appointed by God as a Judge, slays the commander of an enemy army. Although the struggling Holofernes is nearly double Judith’s size, she has no trouble wielding the sword to severe his head. Gentileschi paints Judith with a fierce and determined look on her face. Even more than a biblical allegory, the scene parallels a personal moment in Gentileschi’s life. At the age of seventeen, she was raped by one of her artist mentors, Agostino Tassi. After a drawn-out, humiliating trial, the court deemed Gentileschi’s testimony as legitimate, although Tassi never served any punishment. It is thought that Gentileschi used herself as a model for Judith. Therefore, despite the trial’s injustice, Gentileschi takes back her once defiled autonomy in a scene of murderous action!
Imogen Cunningham. Frida Rivera. 1931. Gelatin Silver Print, 21x15.6cm. Gift of Albert M. Bender. ©2016 Estate of Imogen Cunningham. Photo Courtesy of MoMA
Frida Kahlo: Fast-forwarding about three hundred years, Frida Kahlo stormed the art scene with her —typically graphic— self portraits. They detail her physical, nearly fatal, ailments and traumas, her turbulent love-life, and as a result, her mental and emotional suffering. Kahlo’s paintings serve as an outlet to express her pain and suffering. The intimate life of Kahlo is revealed in her illustrated journal, in which she records a variety of poems, watercolors, and sketching during the last ten years of her life. Despite her hardships, Kahlo does not shrivel in despair; instead she remains true to herself, never giving up on herself or her art. Frida Kahlo embodies the strength and tenacity of women artists!
Judy Chicago, The Dinner Party. © 2017 Judy Chicago / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo by Amaury Laporte, via Flickr.
Judy Chicago: From 1974 to 1979, Judy Chicago and a team of women created arguably the first epic feminist artwork. The Dinner Party installation consists of a massive triangular table, measuring about 48 feet on each side, that is set for 39 female guests. Each place represents either a historical or fictional woman; a place setting even includes the beloved Artemisia Gentileschi. Motifs of female genitalia are representative throughout the piece, which caused quite the scandal when the piece first debuted. Without a doubt, as Chicago puts it, “The Dinner Party is intended as a symbol for women’s history.”
These inspirational women have paved the way for female artists of the 21st century. I think it is safe to say that the future is female!
From Staff Contributor Michele McDevitt