In every century there have been outstanding women artists who have achieved well-earned reputations that have stood the test of time. Often their life stories are remarkable in themselves and give us a glimpse into social histories of their age. We look over the last 400 years, and will consider Artemisia Gentileschi, Rachel Ruysch, Angelica Kauffman, Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun, Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, Grace Cossington Smith, Hilda Rix Nicolas and others. We will also look at who are the recognised women in art in the 21st century.
- 17th Century: Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653) & Rachel Ruysch (1664-1750); Baroque Italian artist Artemisia Gentileschi was a follower of Caravaggio & her patron was the Medici duke, Cosimo II; Dutch painter Rachel Ruysch focused on still- life Flower painting. She was born the daughter of an eminent University professor and scholarly collector of naturalia.
- 18th Century: Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807) & Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun (1755-1842); Angelica Kauffman was a Swiss painter, trained in Italy who worked in Rome and in London; Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun was closely associated with Marie Antoinette who she painted many times and had to flee during the French Revolution, then working in Naples, Russia, Austria and Prussia.
- 19th Century: Berthe Morisot (1841 – 1895) & Mary Cassatt (1844-1926); French Impressionist painter, Berthe Morisot was the granddaughter of a French Rococo painter Jean-Honore Fragonard, and part of the Impressionist artist group; Mary Cassatt was one of the “Americans in Paris” and mixed with the French Impressionists
- 20th Century: Australians - Grace Cossington Smith (1892 – 1984) & Hilda Rix Nicolas (1884 – 1961); Grace Cossington Smith’s 1915 The Sock Knitter was painted during WWI and she went on to record many images of Sydney life; Hilda Rix Nicholas trained under Frederick McCubbin before departing for Paris, then travelling to paint in France, Spain and Morocco.
- 21st Century: Modern/ Contemporary Women artists; This week we will explore a number of contemporary Australian artists; The class is invited to make their own contributions to the discussion to explore recent artistic contributions
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Have an enhanced awareness of the key women artists of the 16th to 21st centuries in western art
- Recognise the names and painting styles of these significant women artists
- Have an understanding of the social & historic influences on the artists that informed their practice
- Identify and provide some self- analysis to the paintings and styles
