Women in the Middle Ages in Europe did very menial and simple tasks. Womens' roles in those times were the housewife, a mother or possibly becoming a nun. A women's place in society was determined by where her husband or father stood. They were not allowed to do things that the men did. For example, ``He was also the director of an art school for girls, where Rosa helped out and learned to paint.''( Guerilla 47) Rosa Bonheur, got the opportunity to attend art school because her father was involved there. If it was any other girl, she would not have had such a chance. The way of life for them was very strict.
The roles of women changed throughout the nineteenth century very drastically. Women were beginning to get a name for themselves. Women were beginning to become known for their art. As a successful artist, Rosa made lots of money selling her paintings. Her painting, The Horse Fair, made her one of the best- loved artists in Europe. In that painting, it depicts the women trying to break free from the controlling mens' grasp. Rosa was not afraid to stand up for what she believes is right, which is women in the art world. Rosa, as well as other women artists were being acknowledged for their works. Sometimes they were even treated equal to men.
Rosa Bonheur (French, 1822–1899)
Oil on canvas
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| Another interesting women in the nineteenth century was Harriet Powers. She was a freed slave, and was married with children. She was illiterate, but she knew the bible very well. She stitched stories into her quilt, basically recording her life. ``Eventually the first quilt made its way to the Smithsonian; the second was given to Boston's Museum of Fine Arts.''( Guerilla54) Even though her life was a struggle, she still found a way to come out on top. It is great to see women being able to express their feelings with art, and not be reprimanded for it. Another exception of the nineteenth century women artists is Lilly Spencer. She was a married woman, whose job was to use her art to support her thirteen children and her husband, who stayed at home. |
Even though women were moving along and making themselves noticed, they still had that stigma of being a women artist. Art by a woman will always just be '' good for a girl'', not good in general. Women were only allowed to paint pictures of other women, or simple things. Women could not paint men or nude pictures of men. It was a double standard and it was not fair. `` Although women's role as spectacle continues to dominate much of the periods visual culture, female spectatorship begins to emerge as a social reality within spaces like those of crowds, stores, and mass-market advertising.''(Chadwick 242)
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| Lilly Martin Spencer |
Women have made positive effects throughout the nineteenth century with their artwork. They have come a long way to make their art be seen. They were finally viewed as individuals, and not just women artists. They took a stand in what they believed was right, and because of them, I am proud to be a women . Today, women are equal to men, and some women even make more money than men do. It is very nice to see how far we have come. Below is a link to some of Harriet Powers quilts and information on her work .www.earlywomenmasters.net/powers
Work Cited
Chadwick, Whitney. Women, Art, and Society. New York, NY: Thames and Hudson, 2002.
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