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Period: 1400 to 1510
The Middle Ages
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1460
Portrait of a Lady - Rogier van der Weyden
Van der Weyden was famous during the 15th century. He was the apprentice to Robert Campin. He made a range of paintings, both portraits and religious subjects. Portrait of a Lady depicts a pale woman with brown eyes. She is adorned in a cap with a veil, black dress, red belt, and gold jewelry. The woman was most likely a member of the court of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy. I chose this painting because of its depiction of the lady. She is tall and regal, while also seeming gentle and pure. -
1509
Lady Margaret Beaufort - Artist Unknown
Nothing is known about the artist. However, Lady Margaret Beaufort was the Countess of Richmond and Derby and mother to Henry VII. She founded two colleges at Cambridge and founded Chairs of Divinity at Oxford and Cambridge. She is standing in front of a podium with a book on it (probably the Bible). She is wearing a black and white dress and her hands have gold rings and are folded in prayer in front of her. I chose this painting because the Lady was a real important figure in history. -
Period: 1510 to
The Renaissance
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1550
St. Catherine with Lily - Plautilla Nelli
Plautilla Nelli was a nun that was placed in a convent at 14 years old. There, she was taught how to learn and draw. This painting shows St. Catherine of Siena holding a crucifix and a lily. She is crying as she looks at the figure of Jesus on the cross. Her hands are folded over each other and they are marked with stigmata. I was drawn to this image because it is a piece of artwork representing a woman while also having been created by a religious woman. -
1555
Portrait Miniature of Lady Katherine Grey, Countess of Hertford - Levina Teerlinc
Levina Teerlinc was an artist of the Tudor court in England. She painted for Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mari I, and Elizabeth I. The subject of the painting, Lady Katherine Grey, married Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, and that angered the royal court. They had her and her husband imprisoned in a tower for many years. I selected this artwork because it depicts a woman that was treated unfairly by the royal court simply because she married who she wanted to marry without approval. -
Period: to
The 17th Century
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A Bouquet of Flowers - Clara Peeters
Not much is known about Clara Peeters, except that about thirty-nine paintings have her signature and there are a handful that are attributed to her that are officially unassigned. This painting depicts a bouquet of flowers in a dark vase set against a dark background. I chose this painting because even though it was created by a woman, it does not depict a woman, and it shows how versatile woman artists are. -
Maria Teresa, Infanta of Spain - Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez
Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez painted this portrait of Maria Teresa for King Philip IV as a petition for marriage. The painting depicts Maria Teresa against a dark background, with big curly hair that has butterflies or tulle in it. Her skin is pale, but she has bright pink cheeks, and lifeless eyes. I chose this painting because it shows how women were depicted when being offered for marriage. -
Period: to
The 18th Century
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Marie Antoinette with a Rose - Elisabeth Louise Vigee Le Brun
Vigee Le Brun was hired by Marie Antoinette as her personal portraitist. This painting, created in 1783, depicts Marie Antoinette holding a cabbage rose, her trademark flower. I chose this painting because it depicts a famous historical figure at the time. -
Self-Portrait with a Harp - Rose Adelaide Ducreux
Ducreux was the daughter or portraitist Joseph Ducreux, from which she learned to paint in his studio. The painting depicts Ducreux in a green and cream-colored dress standing next to a harp and a table covered by a red tablecloth. The table has a book of music and a vase on top of it. I chose this painting because it is a self-portrait, so we get to see what Ducreux looked like in her eyes and in her artistic style. -
Period: to
The 19th Century
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The Child's Bath - Mary Cassatt
Mary Cassatt was a painter born in Pennsylvania that studied in Paris, Rome, and Madrid. She had created over 220 prints 1914, where she then went completely blind. I chose this painting because this is the first image of motherhood that I have seen painted that shows it as it is, instead of glorifying or demonizing it. -
Ernesta - Cecilia Beaux
Cecilia Beaux made her living through making art, painting writers, politicians, and sometimes other artists. She won many awards before passing away in 1942. I chose this painting because it is the first painting I have seen with a woman genuinely smiling. She looks truly happy. -
Period: to
The 20th Century
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What a Human Being Is - Hilma af Klint
Hilma af Klint was an abstract artist that focused on spirituality and mysticism, though her art wouldn't be revealed for 20 years. Being a part of "The Five", a group of women that performed seances and otherwise tried to contact the dead, her practices heavily influenced her art. I chose this piece of art because it is interesting to see how spirituality outside of religion can influence art. -
Cow's Skull with Calico Roses - Georgia O'Keeffe
Georgie O'Keeffe specialized in Modernism, painting a lot of flowers and bones. This painting is oil on canvas, depicting an interesting play on life and death. I chose this painting because I love skulls, and I love that she wanted to portray life and death in an interesting fashion. -
Cataract 3 - Bridget Riley
Riley focused on optical phenomena, hoping to produce an unsettling effect on the eye. Cataract 3 uses curves in red, green, turquoise, and grey to create waves that interact with each other. I chose this piece of art because it is relatively hard to look at, but overall very interesting. -
Half-Log Cabin - Nellie Mae Abrams
Nellie Mae Abrams spent most of her life quilting with her mother in Gee's Bend, Alabama. Half-Log Cabin is a cotton and cotton/polyester blend quilt, made of many different colors and patterns. I chose this because I had never picked a quilt before, but they are equally as important as paintings. -
Period: to
The 21st Century
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Nick, Charlie, and Nellie - Alice Oseman
Alice Oseman is an award-winning author, illustrator, and screenwriter. She is most famous for their romance comic Heartstopper, which features a diverse set of LGBT+ characters and has been made into an award-winning show on Netflix, that she has been involved in at every stage of its production. I chose this piece of art because, while it was not created with traditional media, it is a very intricate work of art. -
Linkin Park Under Meteora - Kyla Gentry-Barr
Kyla Gentry-Barr is a digital artist from Lawton, Oklahoma, and has been drawing since the age of four. Ever since, she has been designing original characters and producing fan art for various YouTubers, musical artists, television shows, and movies I chose this piece of art because she is incredibly proud of it, and it is very intricate and detailed.