Five Female Artists You Should Know
In 1971, a rather famous art historian named Linda Nochlin published an essay entitled "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?" (which was rather famous in and of itself). In this piece, Nochlin explains how institutional and cultural forces prevented women from engaging in the artistic world for most of Western history.
Despite the valid points that Nochlin makes, the premise of her essay actually isn’t true. Since "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?" was published, numerous women of the modern era have been recognized for their artistic genius, while at the same time art historians have rediscovered the work of many female painters who were forgotten by history.
However, it is still true that the work of female artists tends to be undervalued and understudied in the art world. So, today, I’d like to introduce you to five brilliant women who definitely deserve the name Great Artists.
Sofonisba Anguissola - Sofonisba Anguissola is probably the greatest painter of the Italian Renaissance that most people have never heard of. Anguissola was one of the first professional female painters in Western history, working as a professional portrait painter and as a court artist under the auspices of Elizabeth of Valois, the queen of Spain. She enjoyed a successful career as an artist and became especially famous in later life, with young artists seeking her out for advice. Such was her skill that even the great Michelangelo immediately recognized her talent when he saw one of her drawings in 1554. Anguissola’s paintings are extraordinarily expressive and show a rare talent for capturing emotion and personality on canvas.
Edmonia Lewis - Although her work almost disappeared from the art historical record for decades, it is undeniable that Edmonia Lewis is one of the most important sculptors in American history. Today, Lewis is known as one of the first African-American and Native American artists who rose to prominence in the art world. Lewis faced an uphill battle to gain recognition for her work. Her early career and education were dogged by incidents of racism and discrimination. However, she eventually rose to prominence after moving to Rome. Despite the challenges she faced, Lewis managed to develop a unique artistic style, and her work is recognized for its sensitivity, originality, and boundary-breaking style.
Despite the valid points that Nochlin makes, the premise of her essay actually isn’t true. Since "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?" was published, numerous women of the modern era have been recognized for their artistic genius, while at the same time art historians have rediscovered the work of many female painters who were forgotten by history.
However, it is still true that the work of female artists tends to be undervalued and understudied in the art world. So, today, I’d like to introduce you to five brilliant women who definitely deserve the name Great Artists.
Sofonisba Anguissola - Sofonisba Anguissola is probably the greatest painter of the Italian Renaissance that most people have never heard of. Anguissola was one of the first professional female painters in Western history, working as a professional portrait painter and as a court artist under the auspices of Elizabeth of Valois, the queen of Spain. She enjoyed a successful career as an artist and became especially famous in later life, with young artists seeking her out for advice. Such was her skill that even the great Michelangelo immediately recognized her talent when he saw one of her drawings in 1554. Anguissola’s paintings are extraordinarily expressive and show a rare talent for capturing emotion and personality on canvas.
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Bernardino Campi Painting Sofonisba Anguissola Source: Wikipedia |
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The Chess Game by Sofonisba Anguissola Source: Wikipedia |
Artemisia Gentileschi - If Sofonisba Anguissola was the great luminary of the Renaissance movement, Artemisia Gentileschi was the shining light of the Baroque movement. Aside from the great Caravaggio, there are virtually no other artists of the Baroque period who could hold a candle to her skill. She was a prodigy, achieving artistic mastery by the age of nineteen. Today, her paintings are regarded as some of the most revolutionary and progressive of the period. Gentileschi had a bold, decisive style that allowed her to infuse a great deal of expression and drama into her work. Gentileschi was probably one of the first female artists to study nude models—which was taboo at the time—and her mastery of the human form bears witness to this fact. Aside from her artistic skill, Gentileschi was also successful from a financial point of view, receiving commissions from all over Europe.
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Judith Slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi Source: Wikimedia Commons |
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Esther before Ahasuerus by Artemisia Gentileschi Source: Wikimedia Commons |
Hilma af Klint - The story of Swedish painter Hilma af Klint is perhaps one of the most fascinating in the history of art. While most people believe that Wassily Kandinsky was the founder of the abstract art movement in Europe, af Klint actually pre-dated him as a pioneer of the genre. Her most famous paintings were created between 1906 and 1915. During this time, af Klint founded a group of women known as the Five that met regularly to conduct seances. During these seances, af Klint functioned as the Medium, coming into contact with several spirit guides. According to af Klint, These guides instructed the Five to build a temple and gave af Klint specific instructions about the art that should decorate it. She went on to create a series of extraordinary paintings for the temple. Her paintings are a revelation. They convey a sense of delicate beauty while communicating esoteric ideas and deep thoughts. While I freely admit that I don’t really understand the message behind her work, her paintings touch the soul and leave the viewer with the sense of having had an out-of-body experience. When writing her will, af Klint specified that her work should not be revealed until at least twenty years after her death. Her work was finally made public in the 1960s, but it wasn’t until the 1980s that her genius was recognized.
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The Swan, No. 17 by Hilma af Klint Source: The New Yorker |
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Group IV, The Ten Largest, No. 7, Adulthood by Hilma af Klint Source: Guggenheim Museum |
Edmonia Lewis - Although her work almost disappeared from the art historical record for decades, it is undeniable that Edmonia Lewis is one of the most important sculptors in American history. Today, Lewis is known as one of the first African-American and Native American artists who rose to prominence in the art world. Lewis faced an uphill battle to gain recognition for her work. Her early career and education were dogged by incidents of racism and discrimination. However, she eventually rose to prominence after moving to Rome. Despite the challenges she faced, Lewis managed to develop a unique artistic style, and her work is recognized for its sensitivity, originality, and boundary-breaking style.
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The Death of Cleopatra by Edmonia Lewis Source: Smithsonian American Art Museum |
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| Hagar by Edmonia Lewis Source: Smithsonian Magazine |
Frida Kahlo - Even if you don’t know her name, I can almost guarantee you’ve seen Frida Kahlo’s face. Kahlo is famous for her self-portraits, and these images have been printed on hats, t-shirts, and mugs that world over. Despite the rampant capitalization of her image, Kahlo’s self-portraits were intensely personal. Kahlo was involved in a horrific bus accident as a teenager, and her resulting medical problems continued to plague her for the rest of her life. Kahlo’s art reflects the pain, struggle, and love that populated her everyday life. The term Surrealist has often been applied to describe her art, but Kahlo never saw herself as a Surrealist. She simply painted her own life as it appeared to her, privileging the more authentic inner world as the reality that mattered. Today, Kahlo is known as one of Mexico’s greatest painters and as one of the greatest artistic minds of the modern age.
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| Me and My Parrots by Frida Kahlo Source: Kahlo.org |
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Self-Portrait on the Border Line Between Mexico and the United States by Frida Kahlo Source: Smithsonian Magazine |
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