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.
Course Dates
Course details
Key Features
Aims of the course
- To introduce you to key European women artists in c. 1400-1800.
- To enable you to build a theoretical framework for analysing the work of women artists.
- To equip you with terminology to compare and contrast the artworks discussed.
Course content overview
European women were involved in creating a variety of artwork between around 1400 to 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.
Target audience
This course is for anyone with an interest in the subject area. No background experience is required.
Welcome week (Week 0)
Purpose:
- personal introductions
- introducing the course
- useful reading
- personal objectives
Learning outcomes:
By studying this week, the students should have:
- become familiar with navigating around the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and from VLE to links and back
- test your ability to access files and the web conferencing software and sort out any problems with the help of the Technology Enhanced Learning team
- learn how to look for, assess and reference internet resources
- contribute to a discussion forum to introduce yourself to other students and discuss why you are interested in the course and what you hope to get out of your studies
Teaching week 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.
Teaching week 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'.
Teaching week 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.
Teaching week 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.
Teaching week 5: The Legacy of European Women Artists
In the final week 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.
Week 6: what next?
- assessment of student learning
- assessment of student satisfaction
- encouragement of further study
Each week of an online course is roughly equivalent to 2-3 hours of classroom time. On top of this, participants should expect to spend roughly 2-3 hours reading material, etc., although this will vary from person to person.
While they have a specific start and end date and will follow a weekly schedule (for example, week 1 will cover topic A, week 2 will cover topic B), our tutor-led online courses are designed to be flexible and as such would normally not require participants to be online for a specific day of the week or time of the day (although some tutors may try to schedule times where participants can be online together for web seminars, which will be recorded so that those who are unable to be online at certain times are able to access material).
This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.
Our short courses are designed especially for adult learners who want to advance their personal or professional development. They are taught by tutors who are expert in both their subjects and in teaching students of all ages and experiences.
Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language to get the maximum benefit from the course.
Fees
The course fee includes access to the course on our VLE, personal feedback on your work from an expert tutor, a certificate of participation (if you complete work and take part in discussions), and access to the class resources for two years after your course finishes.
Concessions
For more information, please see our concessions information page.
Alison Fordham Bursary
University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education is proud to offer the Alison Fordham bursary, which is awarded to students who wish to study on one of our short online courses via our VLE, reducing the fee paid by 50%. The bursary is limited to a single award for each set of online courses.
Application criteria:
- applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study
- applicants who can demonstrate financial need
For more information, please see our bursaries information page.
A certificate of participation and a digital credential will be awarded to those who contribute constructively to weekly discussions, exercises and assignments for the duration of the course.
