3-2-2019
The Middle Ages in Europe were a very oppressive time for women because they had to follow strict gender roles in a patriarchal culture. The feudal system of government restricted women to second class citizens, or as property to the men in their lives (i.e their fathers, brothers, or husbands). Young girls were groomed to become happy, homemaker housewives and bear children. They were not given the tools to become successful without a husband. Most women of the Middle Ages were illiterate because, “education was thought to interfere with a woman’s ability to be a good wife and mother” (Guerrilla Girls 22). However, education and knowledge can also be power, if women were given the proper education they would rebel against the oppressive norm, and of course men wanted to remain in control over women.
The only way women could educate themselves and gain freedom during this time, was to join a religious convent.“ Joining a convent freed women from demanding roles of being wives and mothers” (Guerrilla Girl 21). Women who chose to join a convent ultimately have to abandon the idea of ever getting marriage. They could not have both; it was either marriage or freedom. “During the Middle Ages, the convent provided an alternative to marriage, offering a haven for nonconformists and female intellectuals” (Chadwick 45). The nuns within these convents proved to be very talented. The only way for women to pursue an artistic career was to have an artistic father or join a convent.
The Bayeux Tapestry is one piece of art that is credited to the nuns and needleworkers that were members of convents. Doing “women’s work” and join convents were really the only way women artist could express themselves during this time period. They were not given the credit they deserved. The Bayeux Tapestry is a huge piece of work depicting the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England. Below is just a small portion of the tapestry where Harold makes a solemn oath. Clink the link underneath the image to view the entire Bayeux Tapestry, section by section. 
The Bayeux Tapestry: http://www.bayeuxtapestry.org.uk/BayeuxContents.htm
Although joining convents was one of the major ways women during the Middle Ages pursued their artistic careers, it was not the only way. Although women were excluded from classical art styles, such as sculpting and painting, women were welcomed to participate in feminine artwork. These included needlework, silk making, and other crafts. Capitalism was being to evolve in Europe, and women wanted to participate. “The growth of towns during the thirteenth century created a new class of women- urban working women whose managerial skills were in great demand due to a high degree of mobility among men… the woman merchant had full civic status” (Chadwick 63). The merchant woman was a productive member of society; it was a new role for women, rather than just becoming a wife and a mother.
Leading into the Renaissance, women and female artist started to gain a little more freedom. “Painting became one of a growing list of activities in which women had intuitive, but not learned, knowledge and to whose laws they remained outsiders” (Chadwick 74). Women were still expected to get married and have children, but the idea of female artist was a little more welcomed by some. For the most part, it remained that the only way a woman could work as an artist was if she was born into a family of artists “that needed assistance in the family workshop” (Guerrilla Girls 29). Female artist received a lot of backlash and violence from their male peers. One famous male painter, Alberti, disapproved of women working as artist. He said, “Women’s virtues are chastity and motherhood; her domain is the private world of the family” (Chadwick 71). Like most men, he believed that the female artist was neglecting her household duties in the pursuit of a “man’s job.”
Similar to the Middle Ages, female artists of the Renaissance also had to choose between marriage or their career. Properzia De Rossi was the only known female sculptor of the time. Due to strict gender roles, she lived on her own, with no man to look after her; something very unusual at the time. Eventually she was accused of of being a prostitute. Being labeled ruined her reputation and ended her artistic career. A woman’s reputation was very crucial to her status in society, and once it was tarnished, it could never be repaired. Another way a woman’s reputation could be tarnished was rape.
Many female artist had some experience with sexual assault. Artemisia Gentileschi, was a teenage prodigy. Her father allowed her to utilize her artistic talents in his atelier. Artemisia was raped one day by Agostino Tassi, a colleague of her father. After the rape, Agostino offered to marry Artemisia because marriage was the only way her reputation would not be tarnished. However, Agostino rescinded his marriage proposal, and Artemisia’s father filed a lawsuit against him. As a woman, Artemisia could not file the lawsuit against him herself, it had to be a man. Ultimately Agostino was convicted for the rape, however, this traumatic event remained significant to Artemisia and it was reflected in her work. One of her famous paintings, shown below, “Judith Slaying Holofernes,” depicts Judith looking while she cuts the head off an Assyrian General after trying to seduce him. Artemisia paints judith looking as she decapitates this man to send a message that women are “unafraid to face carnage and death” (Guerrilla Girls 37). Clink the link to view more of Artemisia Gentileschi’s artwork:https://www.artsy.net/artist/artemisia-gentileschi
As you can see, women of the Renaissance were rebelling more and more against the social norm. They challenged the idea that women were only meant to marry and bear children. Female artist of this period portrayed women in a different light. Women were shown as strong, fearless, beautiful, independent, and so on. Another famous female portraitist, that was known for showcasing women in a different light, was Sofonisba Anguissola. Sofonisba was also born into a family of painters, she also received encouragement and praise from Michelangelo. Below is a painting, titled Self-Portrait, in this painting Sofonisba paints herself moderately dressed painting a picture of another woman. Most of her painting were of women, and of women with prestige and gracefulness. In a way, she was going against the male gaze because she knew men were watching but she painted women how they wanted to been seen, not how men wanted to see them. Her work and the work of many other women artist did not receive nearly enough of the credit they deserved, but they did begin to break down some of the stereotypical restrictions placed on women during the time.
Works Cited
The Guerrilla Girls, The Guerrilla Girls’ Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art (New York, Penguin Books, 1998)
Whitney Chadwick, Women, Art, and Society, 4th or 5th edition, (New York: Thames and Hudson), 2007.
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