Women: Middle Ages, Renaissance, and 19C

Hortus Decliarum by Herrard of Landsberg

Women roles in society weren't always as open minded as they are today compared to the Middle Ages."Our knowledge about the daily lives and customs of women in the Middle Ages owes much to representations emphasizing their labor, as in a thirteenth-century manuscript illumination of a woman milking a cow" (Chadwick 43). Their roles were limited to home and family life. Men were dominant and perceived women as weak and unintelligent. Women didn't only assist their fathers or husbands with their jobs, they took part in working as well. Women were not only devoted to the Church. Joining convents meant those women were free from their daily lives of being inferior to men. Women who did join went on to create artwork called tapestry. Tapestry is threads woven into a thick fabric to create a design. The most significant tapestry created was called "The Bayeux Tapestry." It was created by women to tell the story of a conquest in England. The tapestry was appreciated by many but people failed to give credit to the women who put work into it. "Instead, the author assumes the tapestry to be the design of a single male genius who hired it out to insignificant sewers" (Guerrilla Girls 21). This shows the challenge women faced when it came to being recognized for their hard work. However, this was referenced in a portrait done by Herrard of Landsberg who was an abbess who was superior to her fellow nuns. In her "Hortus Decliarum," she portrayed the 60 nuns that were in the convent.  

"Portia Wounding her Thigh" by Elisabetta Sirani 1664

Following the Middle Ages came the Renaissance. Although it was a time of revival, women's roles didn't change all that drastically. They were typically housewives, similar to the Middle Ages. The Renaissance was referred to as a time of rebirth of arts, science, and intellectualism. "The whole system was of course closed to women. In most cities, women were barred from painters' guilds or academies(except for the lace and silk makers guilds" (Guerrilla Girls 29). Women could not work as an artist unless they were born into it. "The absence of women's names from the list of artists responsible for the 'renaissance' of Western culture in fifteenth-century Florence deserves careful scrutiny" (Chadwick 67). One of the challenges a Bolognese artist, Elisabeth Sirani, faced was the accusation of taking credit for work that her father had done. But of course, this wasn't true. Society was so threatened by having a female so successful in this field that they started to accuse her of stealing. But, when she started painting in public, the truth came out - that she did in fact paint by herself. A great example of her reference to this in her work was done in 1664, "Portia Wounding her Thigh." This painting depicts a young woman separating herself from the other women and doing something most women couldn't or wouldn't, wounding herself. What Sirani is trying to prove is that Portia is strong and knows how to take charge of her own life, and it shows her bravery because most women during this time would not wound themselves, rather they would remain 'lady-like' and proper. Also, holding a knife in such a way would be frowned upon by other men, but Sirani shows the bravery of Portia, which is arguably a reference to herself and her bravery. 

Edmonia Lewis "Forever Free" 1867

The 19th century woman had many similarities to the Middle Ages and Renaissance woman. They were expected to uphold the family, the house, and anything else that was in private while men were active in public life. But, women had begun to take a stand. Women took part in protests and political speeches which was considered 'unladylike.' Women did needlework, painting, textile weaving, and folk art. The industrial revolution was a time of technological advances. Before the art of photography could be taken over by men, women took it up. "Photography was great for women artist: because it was brand new, there was no canon for them to be excluded from. As a result, women helped define the practice and continue to do so today" (Guerrilla Girls 47). Prominent women were introduced during this time, one of which included Edmonia Lewis. The challenge she faced was the accusation of poisoning her two roommates who were white. Although she was acquitted, she was still accused for other minor crimes and was still suffering from a trauma. A clear reference to this was in her sculpture, "Forever Free" 1867. It portrayed a man and woman breaking free from shackles which symbolized never going back to old times and that slavery was over. The 19th century also brought about Impressionism which was art in the form of thin brush strokes and emphasis on light. "The emergence of a new, middle class buying public also played a not inconsiderable role in the dissemination of their work" (Chadwick 213). A notable impressionist was Mary Cassat. In her painting "Mother and Child" (1905), she uses key features such as the awkward angle and the chair being uplifted and forward. Through impressionism, women had the ability to capture what they wanted and exactly how they wanted to present it.

Work Cited 

http://www.theartstory.org/artist-cassatt-mary-artworks.htm
https://www.biography.com/people/mary-cassatt-9240820
https://www.famsf.org/press-room/women-impressionists-berthe-morisot-mary-cassatt-eva-gonzal-s-marie-bracquemond
http://www2.cedarcrest.edu/academic/eng/lfletcher/shrew/acloud.htm