Women artists in Europe c.1400-1800

Women in c.1400-1800 contributed actively to artistic production in Europe, but their achievements have often been overlooked. We will find out how women developed their artistic practices during the Late Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Enlightenment periods. The art which we will consider will include manuscript illuminations, paintings and sculptures. These artworks will be considered within the context of Feminist Art Theory as well as recent exhibitions to highlight the legacy of women artists across Europe. 

Aims

This course aims to:

• introduce you to key European women artists in c. 1400-1800
• enable you to build a theoretical framework for analysing the work of women artists
• equip you with terminology to compare and contrast the artworks discussed

Course content

European women were involved in creating a variety of artwork between c.1400 and 1800, including manuscript illuminations, panel paintings and sculptures. They did this despite the social constraints imposed upon them, such as restricted access to formal artistic training. This course will introduce you, in chronological order, to key contexts for women’s artistic production across Europe, from the nunnery and the family workshop to major artistic institutions such as the Royal Academy of Arts. By studying the development of women’s artistic practice from the Late Gothic period to the Enlightenment, you will encounter the work of pioneering artists from across Europe such as Artemisia Gentileschi, Rachel Ruysch, Angelica Kauffman and Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun. You will think about how the work of these, and other, women artists was influenced by the priorities of powerful patrons as well as notions of fashion, style and taste. This 5-session course will also enable you to place the work of women artists within the framework of Feminist Art Theory in order to better understand why these important artists have often been overlooked. You will also be encouraged to consider the impact of recent exhibition practice upon the revival of interest in the work of European women artists in c.1400-1800. 

What to expect on this course
This course will be taught in a classroom setting using PowerPoint presentations to show you reproductions of artworks. The sessions will encourage discussion.

Course sessions

1. Feminist Art Theory and the art of the Late Gothic cloister: We will begin by introducing Feminist Art Theory, which provides a framework for the course. We will then explore women’s artistic production in religious communities. Manuscript illuminations will be discussed as we assess the defining features of women’s art in late medieval nunneries.

    

2. Renaissance panel paintings: We will analyse panel paintings executed by women at a time when art theorists sought to raise the status of artists in society. Among others, we will compare the work and self-portraits of Catharina van Hemessen and Sofonisba Anguissola and consider Giorgio Vasari’s account of Sofonisba’s work in The Lives of the Most Celebrated Painters, Sculptors and Architects.

    

3. Baroque opulence: We will consider a range of women’s artworks, from large decorative schemes to still life painting and miniature sculptures. By examining the output of artists such as Artemisia Gentileschi, Rachel Ruysch and Caterina de Julianis, we will assess the diversity of women’s artistic production in the Baroque period as well as the contexts for their work. 

    

4. Women artists and the Enlightenment: We will investigate the impact of women’s artwork in a period characterised by the acquisition of knowledge. We will discuss how prolific artists such as Angelica Kauffman and Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun benefited from the support of powerful patrons as well as the dissemination of their designs through printed imagery. We will also examine the art of naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian as we consider women who worked at the intersection of art and science.

    

5. The legacy of European women artists: In the final session of this course, we will reflect upon what we have learnt about women artists in c. 1400-1800 and the varied and important contributions they made to artistic production across Europe. We will also think about how exhibition practice and scholarly studies can continue to showcase their legacy. 

Learning outcomes

As a result of the course, you will gain a greater understanding of the subject and you should be able to:

• identify key features of women’s artistic production in Europe during the Late Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Enlightenment periods
• appreciate the role of patrons, both religious and secular, in the development of women’s artistic practice
• analyse women’s art within a theoretical context 

Required reading

Prior to the course, you will find it useful to read Linda Nochlin’s 1971 essay ‘Why have there been no great women artists?’, as this informs our theoretical approach. A PDF is available to download (https://www.writing.upenn.edu/library/Nochlin-Linda_Why-Have-There-Been-No-Great-Women-Artists.pdf) and an illustrated version is also available (https://www.artnews.com/art-news/retrospective/why-have-there-been-no-great-women-artists-4201/)

Hessel, Katy, The Story of Art Without Men (London: Hutchinson Heinemann, 2022) Later editions also available.

Jones, Tanja L (editor),  Women Artists in the Early Modern Courts of Europe c. 1450-1700, (Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2021) 
A ‘preview’ of a later edition is available here: https://www.routledge.com/Women-Artists-in-the-Early-Modern-Courts-of-Europe-c-1450-1700/Jones/p/book/9781041190691