Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

12045

Title

Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A comprehensive historical survey tracing women's contributions to the fine arts from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D., highlighting their struggles, achievements, and enduring legacy across cultures and eras.

Summary up to 500 words

Clara Erskine Clement Waters presents an exhaustive history of female artists in "Women in the Fine Arts," asserting that over a thousand women earned honorable mention before the mid-nineteenth century. The narrative begins in antiquity, noting figures like Kora and Laya who decorated temples and created miniatures despite limited historical records. In ancient Egypt, it is reasoned that women likely contributed to decorating monuments alongside men. The text moves through the Renaissance, a period where few women succeeded due to barriers such as the necessity of studying anatomy. Nevertheless, Waters highlights pioneers like Caterina Vigri and Onorata Rodiana in Italy, and Margaretha Van Eyck in Flanders, who assisted her brothers. The sixteenth century is celebrated for an expansion of artistic theory that welcomed women. The book profiles diverse talents across Europe and America: Swiss portraitist Aimée Rapin, flower painter Mrs. Redmond, and American artist Anna Mary Richards, whose symbolic sonnets were praised by G.F. Watts. Russian sculptor Therese Feodorowna Ries is renowned for her powerful work "The Unconquerable," while Dutch landscape painter Mme. Mesdag achieved success through perseverance after beginning her studies at age thirty. The narrative also covers Impressionist Berthe Morisot, whose works defined the femininity of the movement, and others like Juana Romani and Tini Rupprecht. Through these biographical sketches, Waters argues that women have always been educated as artists and creditably followed their profession alongside men. She emphasizes that while records are often scanty, the stories of these women serve to prove that they were integral to the art world from ancient times through the nineteenth century. The work preserves these stories against historical omission, celebrating a legacy where women drew inspiration directly from nature and maintained an independent path faithful to their artistic gifts.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Biography