During the Middle Ages, the patriarchal system limited the roles of women. European women were expected to stay at home and care for the children. Since their only role as a woman was to be a housewife, they were not expected to work outside the home. The man’s role was to be the breadwinner and have a career. During this time period, one way a woman could educate herself and have a career was to become a nun. By joining the convent, a woman was willingly choosing her education and career over marriage and motherhood. The Guerrilla girls stated, “These nuns had an autonomy unknown to their sisters on the outside” (21). Becoming a nun meant that these women had opportunities most women did not have. These nuns were educated, had businesses, farmed, painted, and made music. This is not to say that the nuns had complete freedom because the clergymen still controlled and monitored them. Some of the nuns had the courage to include more women or topics of women in their artwork. Hildegard Von Bingen would create artwork that she said were visions from God. During this time period, most of the artwork involved religion (Catholic themes and subjects). Chadwick stated, “A gift from God to a weak but chosen woman, the vision circumvents the medieval Church’s denial of power or authority to women” (59). Von Bingen’s work shows women from a different light and focuses less on their body (does not sexualize them, instead shows they are important). Even though she feared challenging the Church, she created this work to show awareness and present women in a different light. Regardless, Hildegard Von Bingen wanted to preserve the sisterhood and show the benefit of women working together.
The link below provides more examples of women during this time period (including Hildegard Von Bingen):
Hildegard Von Bingen, Scivias. This illustrates one of the visions she had. Von Bingen stated, “a woman of great size-just as a great city … I conceive and bear many who tire and oppress me” (Guerilla Girls 25). This shows the importance of them and how they are considered subordinate even though they have the great responsibility of carrying children. She shows the importance and value of women by making her a large image and not a small women (a small woman could mean she has less importance/value).
During the Renaissance, women had more freedom and having fathers who were artists allowed them to have more opportunities. Some women were artists and married other male artists, which meant they could have a marriage and continue to have their careers. Unfortunately, one of the problems these women faced is that their career always came second to their husband’s career. So even though these women had both a career and marriage (unlike in the Middle Ages), they still faced many obstacles and hardships. Once a woman was married, she was seen as property and subordinate to her husband. The few women that worked did not see any of their wages, because their husband had control of their wages. A woman who experienced this was Lavinia Fontana, who learned about art through her father. She married a painter and never had access to her money. She knew she could not be more successful as an artist than her father (out of respect and society norms), she went Rome after he passed away. Not only did women know their careers are less important than of their counterparts, but women realized that their bodies (as well as their minds) were not respected. During this time, women who were raped could not legally press charges on their perpetrator. Artemisia Gentileschi was an inspiration for women of her time (and even beyond). On top of all her hardships and tribulations, she had a successful career and experienced motherhood. Gentileschi was the first woman to attend the Accademia Del Disegno, became a well known painter, and painted many religious themes (Guerilla Girls 37). During this time period, the artwork that was popular was neoclassical and realism. Throughout this time period, Bologna stood out because it was one of the only places in Europe where women had better opportunities. In Bologna, there was a school for the women to learn art and the guild had a female member (Caterina Vigri). Many women traveled to Italy, to have the opportunity to go to school and practice with other females.
Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Slaying Holofernes. c. 1620. This painting depicts the story of Judith killing a General. Gentileschi was brave for showing the brutal killing and showing the strength and courage of another woman.
During the 17th and 18th century, Europeans were colonizing and this brought them a sense of pride. This pride could have brought about the neoclassical period, since it had many heroic and classical themes (Guerilla Girls 35). In order to be successful in neoclassicism, artists had to be good at creating artwork from a live model. Thus, women were one again at a disadvantage because they could not look at nude male models. However, in the Netherlands, the subject matter was different and everyday life was favored in artwork. Wealthy individuals wanted material objects to show off their wealthy and riches. Since the subject matter in Netherlands did not involve any nudes, woman took this advantage to seek work. Maria Merian grew up in Holland and was very privileged when compared to other females. Some advantages she had were that her father was an engraver, he stepfather was a painter, she grew up in the Netherlands (where woman had more opportunities, and she married her art teacher. Not to discredit Merian, however, she had more opportunities than most women in Europe. Merian painted many botanical images and very popular in many countries. When we compare the woman in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, women in the 17th and 18th century made lots of progress. More women during this time had the opportunity to get educated and work more. It is important to note that throughout Europe, most women of lower class and no family ties to art did not have these type of opportunities.
The nineteenth century was a pivotal time for women transitioning into the public sphere. During this time, women banded together in order to learn more and become well-known. As they say there is strength in numbers and these women were unafraid of challenging the men’s spheres. Chadwick discussed the challenges women faced: “They were caught between a social ideology that prohibited the individual competition and public visibility for success in the arts, and the educational and social reform movements that made the nineteenth century the greatest period of female social progress in history” (177). After the war, many women worked to fill the men’s position and now there was more demand for the working woman. Towards the end of this century, women were beginning to have more legal rights, which included more rights for a divorced woman and being able to keep their wages. Essentially, this was a time where women could take advantage of the changing society and make the best of it. Elizabeth Thompson was a brave artist, who did not allow herself to be restricted and told what she could/couldn’t do. During the nineteenth century, women were drawn to impressionism because it legitimized the domestic social life of women (Chadwick 232). A group of American women (“White Marmorean Flock”) traveled to Rome to learn how to become more successful. These women essentially gave up marriage or becoming wives in order to learn more art and become better sculptors. These women knew they would have better opportunities if they banded together and work with each other instead of seeing each other as competition.
More information on the group of American women sculptors is provided below:
Elizabeth Thompson, Calling the Roll after an Engagement (1874). This painting was unique of its time because it was painted by a woman and only men painted these subjects. Women were not allowed to paint war and military themes. Thompson used this painting to show the agony and pain these soldiers felt.
Works Cited
Chadwick, Whitney. Women, Art, and Society. 5th ed., 1992.
Guerilla Girls. The Guerrilla Girls' Bedside Companion to the History ofWestern Art. Penguin, 1998.
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