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Period: 476 to 1453
Week 1 -The Middle Ages
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975
Ende, The Last Judgment (975), 36 x 26cm, paint
One woman artist in the Middle Ages is Ende Pintrix Et D(E)I Aiutrix in the colophon of the Gerona Beatus. Ende is known as the first Spanish female manuscript illuminator. Most conclude that she was probably a nun and probably the earliest European female artist on record. This art communicates the physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and cultural place during this time as a position as a nun the role that Ende and the other female nuns played. This painting reflects her position. -
Period: 1300 to
Week 2 - The Renaissance
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Barbara Longhi, Virgin and Child with Saint (1595), 39 x 32.5cm, Department of Paintings of Louvre, Oil on Canvas
Barbara Longhi, an Italian painter and admired as a portraitist. The painting represents religion, mother, child, innocence, a woman’s physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and cultural period. Religion played a huge influence into the lives of mothers and their children. The saint standing next to the child, holding a bible, could represent Jesus putting a crown upon a nun as a way to signify the importance of women as nuns. -
Period: to
Week 3 - The 17th Century
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Artemisia Gentileschi, Susana and the Elders (1610), 170 x 119cm, Schloss Weissenstein, Oil Painting, Canvas
Artemisia Gentileschi, one of the most popular female figures of the Baroque era and was an Italian Baroque painter within the Renaissance period. Regarded as the most progressive and expressive painters of her generation, included handling color to express dimension and drama through paintings. The brightly spotlighted actors against the dark, murky background contributes to the psychological and physical tension. This painting, the representation of a biblical narrative in the Book of Daniel. -
Louise Moillon, Basket of Apricots (1634), 38 x 52cm, Louvre Museum, Oil Painting, Panel
Louise Moillon, a popular female figure of the Baroque era and was a French artist known for still life paintings, most of paintings of fruit. The principles within this design consist of the elements of Trompe l’oeil that she is known to give her still-life portraits much more texture and allows realistic aspects to further stand out. With not as much opportunity for growth and exploration, women were often left in positions to create their focal points towards still life portraits. -
Maria van Oosterwijck, Still Life with Flowers in a Decorative Vase (1670-1675), 62 x 47.5cm, Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, Oil Painting, Canvas
Maria van Oosterwijck was a Dutch Golden Age painter, who specialized in richly detailed flower paintings and other still life paintings. Through her works, she showed that she had a talent for vivid realistic paintings. This consist of vibrant detailed flowers, in a decorative and detailed vase, placed upon a marble-colored table. This painting depicts limitations that were placed upon women during the 17th Century, as not many opportunities were provided to women with art. -
Period: to
Week 4 - The 18th Century
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Elisabeth Vigee Lebrun, Marie-Antoinette and her Children (1787), 275 x 216.5 cm, Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, Oil Painting, Canvas
Elisabeth Vigee Lebrun, was a popular French portrait painter. Her artistic style is considered part of Rococo with elements of an adopted Neoclassical style. In the painting reflects the queen at home engaged with her children and portrayed in a motherly role. In the painting is the child on the right, who's pointing and positioned next to an empty cradle, which signifies her recent loss of a child. This painting communicates a woman’s physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and cultural place. -
Marguerite Gerard, First Steps (1788), 45.5 x 55cm, Hermitage Museum, Oil, Canvas
Marguerite Gerard, a French painter working in the Rococo style with Neoclassicism. Her works consisted of more than 300 genre paintings, 80 portraits, and several miniatures. In the principles of this design, the unity in this portrait is clear, you can see the children and women, all in sync as one. During this time period, women were all about their motherly roles and tending to children, whether they were a mother or nanny. This picture captures the significance of their roles. -
Marie-Denise Villers, Portrait of Charlotte du Val d’Ognes (1801), 161.3 x 168cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oil, Canvas
Marie-Denise Villers, a French painter, who specialized in portraits, depicts a woman drawing, in front of a broken window, a couple from a distance. The elements of the design consist of asymmetrical lines throughout, creating the shape and volume of the focal point of the woman and the couple. Women have gone through struggles to create such works of art. Marie was supposed to stop her professional life as an artist when she married, as that was expected during her time, she did not. -
Period: to
Week 5 - The 19th Century
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Rolinda Sharples, Self-Portrait of Rolinda Sharples with her mother Ellen Sharples (1816), 36.8 x 29.2cm, Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, Oil, Canvas
Rolinda Sharples, an American painter, who specialized in portraits and genre paintings in oil. Rolinda started making living, painting portraits in oil and genre paintings. This painting is a self-portrait along with her mother Ellen Sharples. The elements of this design consist of acute detail of her life as an artist and professional womanly virtues. This portrait of a professional woman, who taught and continues to carry on the professional works of woman through her daughter. -
Louise Abbema, Portrait of Sarah Bernhardt (1875), 28 x 23 cm, Carnavalet Museum, Oil, Canvas
Louise Abbema, a French painter, sculptor, and designer. She began painting in her early teens and by the age of 23, received her first recognition from her works of art known as portrait of Sarah Bernhardt. The portrait of Sarah Bernhardt being the focal point with her headshot. The elements of the design consist of asymmetrical lines throughout, creating the shape and volume of the focal point of Sarah Bernhardt. In this painting, Sarah holds her head high and in a confident manner. -
Anna Bilinska-Bohdanowicz, Self-Portrait with Apron and Brushes (1887), 117 x 90cm), National Museum in Krakow, Oil, Canvas
Anna Bilinska-Bohdanowicz was a Polish painter, known for portraits and realism. This portrait of Anna, in her profession as a woman artist is shown. Anna reflects her life as an artist, in her apron, along with carrying her brushes. The room is bare with Anna being the focal point. The elements of the design consist of asymmetrical lines, creating the shape and volume of the focal point of herself. She sits in a bold stance, tall, knowing her worth as a woman, a female artist. -
Enella Benedict, Brittany Children (1892), 80 x 61.6 cm, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Oil, Canvas
Enella Benedict, an American painter, specializing in realism and landscape. Shown is a portrait of Brittany Children. The portrait of realism captured. The darker hues of black and brown colors used for the background and clothing of the girls, allows for the focal point of the two girls to stand out in a glowing effect. The solidarity of this the two young girls are captured. As a female artist, she has the opportunity to explore and capture scenes of everyday life. -
Mary Cassatt, The Child’s Bath (1893), 91.44 x 66.04 cm, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oil, Canvas
Mary Cassatt, a successful American painter and printmaker, who specialized in mostly social and private lives of women, especially the intimate bond between mothers and children. This image represents the bond between a mother and her child. The elements of this design consist of acute detail of a mother bathing her child. In this portrait, it consists of bold shapes, texture, color, and very strong details throughout, that brings this portrait to life. The intimate bond moment. -
Period: to
Week 6 - The 20th Century (Europe)
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Period: to
Week 7 - The 20th Century (America)
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Suzanne Valadon, The Abandoned Doll (1921), 129.54 x 81.28 cm, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Oil, Canvas
Suzanne Valadon, a successful French painter, who specialized in mostly female nudes, female portraits, still life, and landscapes. Due to the combined quality of her artwork and groundbreaking treatment and representation of the female nude Suzanne Valadon is considered one of the greatest early female artists. This paints an image representing strong emotions and a period of transition. The elements of this design consist of acute detail of young girl transitioning into adolescence. -
Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird, (1940), 61.25 x 47 cm, Harry Ransom Center, Oil, Canvas
Frida Kahlo, a successful Mexican painter, specialized in mostly portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired of Mexico. She was also known for creating works of art based upon her experience of chronic pain. During her recovery of an accident, she returned to her childhood interest in art. In this art piece, Frida Kahlo paints an image representing pain and suffering that Frida Kahlo endured within her life. The elements of this design consist of acute detail of symbolism throughout. -
Elizabeth Peyton, Sara (1996), 23.4 x 18.4 cm, Sotheby’s - London, Oil, Board
Elizabeth Peyton, an American contemporary artist working primarily in painting and drawing of featured artists, writers, musicians, and actors. This painting it is a portrait of girl named Sara. The elements of the design consist of asymmetrical lines throughout, creating the shape and volume of the focal point of the young girl laying down absorbing all that is around her, the innocence captured as she paints the young girl laying in her Sunday dress. -
Period: to
Week 8 - The Late 20th/21st Century