Introduction
Even in the 21st century, men continue to dominate society and the sphere of art, unfortunately, is no exception. For the situation to change, it is important to talk more about artists — the heroines of the past, their contemporaries, and their heritage. As far as it is known, there were no acknowledged artists among women, although there were many interesting and good artists whose work remained undervalued or insufficiently researched.
Discussion
A famous historian, art theorist, and founder of feminist art studies, Linda Nochlin, advocated for women artists and societal negligence towards their activity. In her prominent article “Why have there been no great women artists?”, the historian discloses the reasons for females’ inability to succeed as artists. She states: “The fault lies not in our stars, our hormones, our menstrual cycles, or our empty internal spaces, but in our institutions and our education” (Nochlin 6). It signifies that the educational system barely allowed women to attend drawing or similar courses making art inaccessible to them. For instance, they were forbidden to paint pictures of nude models; hence, they were only capable of drawing landscapes and still lives. Therefore, institutional values have imposed restrictions on females’ ability to realize their potential to the fullest.
My views coincide with the ideas regarding the imposition of limitations to drawing on women. From the early 16th century, men were the dominant figures in education and were considered geniuses. Specifically, it concerned the acquisition of technical skills and scientific knowledge, which men were adept at. As a result, males were thought to succeed in almost any field and could quickly become dominant figures in art.
Nochlin’s idea regarding artistic genius appeals to me as well. Her perception of this phenomenon leads to the notion that under social pressure, women endowed with talent were exposed to challenges such as poverty, unmarried life, and others. (Nochlin 7) Females were indeed subject to social unacceptance and struggled to fit the standards. To my mind, their success was an underlying cause for feminism’s emergence. Thus, the dominance of men was seen in every aspect, yet it did not stop women express their talents.
In this light, it is vital to state how some prominent women impacted the world of art even though they were not highly recognized. In the 17th century, they were explicitly recognized due to the strong influence of the Renaissance, which inspired them. For instance, Artemisia Gentileschi is the first woman elected as a member of the Academy of Pictorial Arts in Florence Out of 57 famous works by the artist, at least 49 depict women as equal to men (Nochlin 7). In addition, female artists would paint dramatic scenes of rape or beheading because they attempted to express their hatred towards men. It means that one of the significant constraints they faced was torment and abuse. However, by creating such art, they could draw the attention of other women who could openly speak up on these subject matters.
Conclusion
In conclusion, female artists have been barely recognizable in society since the 16th century. In the article, Linda Nochlin expressed the ideas regarding a woman’s genius and how it was condemned by social standards as only men were acknowledged figures. However, it could not stop females from realizing their potential and creating powerful images on sensitive subject matters such as torment, men’s dominance, or abuse.
Work Cited
Nochlin, Linda. “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?”CPCW, 1971, Web.