Marlene Cazares
Professor Cacoilo
Art and Women Fall 2017
17 October 2017
The middle ages was a time period which lasted from the 5th century all the way until the 15th. Women in Europe had different roles and no matter their class rank they were seen weak, and unable to accomplish any task given to them.’’ Women were the virtual prisoners of the men in there lives’’ (Guerrilla Girls 19) No matter the ranking women were only given one role which was being a housewife. However if you were in the middle class you were expected to work with your husband and help run their business. Upper class women on the other hand, had servants to help them clean the household. Women in the middle ages were not allowed to be single they had the option to move in with a male relative or become a nun and join a convent. Religion was the only way to gain any type of education. Joining a convent freed women from the demanding roles of being wives and mothers. Herrad of Landsberg was an abbess of the middle ages who wrote Hortus Deliciarium , a woman who is portrayed power in the middle ages. Nevertheless this is a monumental representation of a women in power in the middle ages. The Hortus Deliciariym is almost like a modern yearbook. ‘’Herrad intended the Hortus Deliciarium as a compendium of desirable knowledge in religious and secular subjects for the education of the young girls in the convent’’ ( Chadwick 57)
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| Herrad of Landsberg, Hortus Deliciarum fol.323r, after 1170 |
The renaissance was also a time period much alike the middle ages. Women in the renaissance were seen by their sexuality and did not have a role in society. ‘’One of the few ways a woman could work as an artist was to be born into a family of artists that needed assistance in the family workshop ‘’ ( Guerrilla Girls 29). In this case, Sofonishba Anguissola had a father who believed in education and help her achieve a style influenced by Michelangelo. Sofonishba self portrait is a prime example of female power. She thrived as a professional painter during a male dominated period. She was able to portray herself as a thriving artist unlike men who would only paint females as objects. Women began thriving in the city of Bologna, ‘’ women were admitted to its university and were even permitted to lecture there’’ ( Guerrilla Girls 30).Moving forward Elisabetta Sirani influenced by Carvaggio painted ‘’Portia wounding her thigh’’ This painting presents women as stronger than her sex and that she is in charge of her body, emotion , and has courage by cutting herself. Artamisia Gentileschi tutored by her father paints a drawing named Susana and the elders which she painted shortly after her rape trial, most believe her painting was inspired by recent events. In the painting you can clearly see that Susanna is clearly trying to avoid any sort of contact with the elders. Which brings us back to the male gaze where women are seen as objects and are sexualized.
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| Elisabetta Sirani, Portia Wounding her Thigh, 1664 |
The 19th century is when women labor becomes essential in building colonial America through legal status which is limited. Women begin needle work , painting , textiles and weaving. All which are part of a social reform‘’ domestic reform’’. Women also started to turn their art into political topics. Harriet Powers who was born a slave is successfully known for storytelling her slave experience onto a quilt which is now in the Smithsonian Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. ‘’ There were great technological advances in the 19th century, including fast new ways like the railroad and steamships’’ ( Guerrilla Girls 47). Moreover, women were given plenty of obstacles from the middles ages to the 19th century. Women still have obstacles today, there's always a battle to fight. Over the century's we were able to learn the hardships of women trying to get an education. Although, we still have a long way to go the process we have accomplished is phenomenal. Throughout the centuries women have come a long way to be able to be considered in the same category as men in the art field.
Work Cited
Whitney Chadwick '' Women, Art and Society'' fourth edition
Guerrilla Girls '' History of Western Art"
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