Gender roles, Subject and Power

The roles women had in the middle ages were to take care of their family and husband. Women were taught to be obedient to their husband and would be punished if she disobeyed. Their marriages were often arranged by parents; they had to marry at a young age or become a nun. The roles women had also depended on her social status. Women that were in the working class earned less than men, while women that were wealthy dedicated themselves to raise the children, and care for the household. Not only were women not allowed to do as they want, they were also deprived of education, as people believed it would interfere with a women’s ability to be a good housewife. However, nuns could be educated on medicine, science, and music. As nuns could, “They operated businesses, farmed, made tapestries, copied and illustrated manuscripts, composed and performed music” (Guerrilla Girls 22). However, “Churchmen who wrote about female mythic tended to emphasize their inspiration and minimize their education” (Chadwick 61) creating a limit of education and rank.

Even through the renaissance, women had a difficult time being known as an artist. As male artists such as: Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo; had made it more difficult for women to be known as artists, and had created a male-dominant era. Usually artists would first be an apprentice then join a guild or union and then open a workshop of their own. But this system was closed to women. Women could not receive a commission, nor could they legally own a workshop. Instead, few women had to be born into a family of artists. During this time, men continued to think of women as “destructive”, “Was convinced that women were destructive to the creative process” (Guerrilla Girls 31), as they thought educated women were dangerous.

Within the 17^th and 18^th century women were continued to struggle. But at this point women’s art work increased. For example, painter Angelica Kauffmann, did not paint domestic subjects, instead she did historical art. She was brought to London by a wealthy Englishwomen and sold enough artworks to buy a house. After being financially stable, she was free to do more historical paintings. Soon she became part of a social group filled with famous artists and writers. Eventually she was accepted as a member of the Accademia di San Luca. Angelica did not let society tell her what she could and could not paint.

Angelica Kauffmann, Vendor of love, 1741-1807

Angelica Kauffmann, Classical figure 1770

During the 19^th century, women begun to have a stronger affect in art history. Many famous female artists such as, Rosa Bonheur, Edmonia Lewis, etc.; had left great impacts while facing difficulties. New tools were used in art, for example, needle work, photography, weaving, etc. Edmonia Lewis, an African-American and Chippewa, faced hardships of being accused of poisoning her roommates and was carried by a mob to be beaten until she was unconscious. She was traumatized and was not allowed to register for her final term classes, therefore, became a sculptor to redeem her reputation. She sent her sculptures to people who had not agreed to buy them and “American tourists flocked to her studio to watch a black woman create art” (Guerrilla Girls 51). But eventually neoclassicism went out of style and information was lost afterwards. Edmonia became an example of a woman trying her best to redeem herself and not to let society hold her down.

Edmonia Lewis, Forever Free, 1867

Work cited:

“Women in the Middle Ages.” Women in the Middle Ages - World History Online, www.heeve.com/middle-ages-history/women-in-the-middle-ages.html.

Bovey, Alixe. “Women in Medieval Society.” The British Library, The British Library, 17 Jan. 2014, www.bl.uk/the-middle-ages/articles/women-in-medieval-society.

The Guerrilla Girls' Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art. Penguin Books, 1998.

Chadwick, Whitney. Women, Art, and Society. Thames & Hudson, 2007.