Although I do not consider myself an ardent feminist, several comments my female friends confided in me have alarmed me greatly. I do not advocate burning bras or scorning the gender of men absolutely, but I believe that females need to have greater self esteem and confidence in themselves. The idea of the subservient female has existed since the beginning of time, from Ancient Egypt to modern day United States. But I find, especially among my fragile and susceptible friends, a lack of self worth and love for oneself is slowing eating away at their confidences. I want this article to focus on independent and creative women in art, since the art of a period is a tell-tale sign of the culture and dominant ideals of the time period in question. I just hope my friends read this and discover their individual value.
To begin, the earliest signed self portrait of a woman in the western world was in the 1100s by a nun named Guda. During the Romanesque era, heavy cathedrals were being built with huge vaults, thick walls, and round roman arches. Scriptoria or rooms where manuscripts were being illuminated by the faithful, were also flourishing as well. Guda, illustrating her confidence in herself and her technical skill, signed “Guda, the sinful woman, wrote and illuminated this book.” This pithy statement was monumental for Western art because a woman, usually seen as a weak figure in the kitchen, was owning up to her abilities (which were often greater than the men). The art world throughout all of human history has been dominated by men because they were taken more seriously and had excess time on their hands for creativity; by contrast, women had to take care of the children and domestic matters. Guda’s particular portrait came from the Book of Homilies (ink on parchment), made in Germany. Her hand is raised palm up in devotion and her robes, heavy and stylized, are brown and green. What strikes me most is her calm, confident look and the piercing expression in her eyes.
I also need to address the growing cult of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the Romanesque and Gothic era (i.e. “Notre Dame” means “our lady” and the prominent rose windows were symbols of the Virgin Mary). Although Mary was female and is significant even today, she is not remembered because of her feminist or strong qualities; she is remembered, especially in art, as the bearer of Christ, the Throne of Wisdom, and as the vessel for Jesus, a male. I would not consider Mary’s ubiquitous presence in art as unusual or particularly inspiring for women because her placement in a composition was just as standard as sticking the blessing sign on Jesus’ fingers. However, the frescoes at Pompeii do show women as equal, if not better, than their male counterparts. Consider this fresco of the Baker Terentius Neo and his wife (see my video below). Although the wife’s name is not mentioned explicitly, she is shown as educated. In ancient times, education equated to power and influence, meaning this female had substance and was not afraid to show it. For all the downtrodden females of today, remember this woman and how she chose to portray herself: not as skinny or partying at a triclinium party, but as a diligent and erudite student. The very look in her gaze conveys confidence and a unique sense of self.
Although I am obsessed with the Renaissance and the rebirth of classical ideals and philosophies, the lack of capable females artists (at least comparable to Raphael, Michelangelo, Leonardo, or Durer) is astonishing. Isabella d’Este, the marchesa of Mantua, was a prominent Renaissance figure, but who remembers her name compared to Titian and Boticelli? Without her employment of Mantegna, Corregio, or Titian, the flowering of the arts would not have been possible. She was a powerful woman with money, which is a lesson many girls in my generation should learn today. Fast forward to the Baroque: this swirling, emotional, dramatic, involved, and spit-second period of art was teeming with ingenious ideas (unfortunately, not very many contributed by women). One particular subject that was painted several times throughout the 17th century was of Judith and Holofernes. I love this story, not because of its goriness or cruelty, but because it shows women in power and in control over men. According to the Bible, Holofernes was an Assyrian general who invaded Judith’s town. To rid her people of the entitled menace, Judith entered Holofernes’ tent, seduced him, and subsequently beheaded him. Most of the male artists who depicted this gruesome scene portrayed women as dangerous femme fatales who were out to destroy all the men. However, I think the scenes are empowering because they depict women with a certain charming power; Judith used her often degrading quality, her sexuality, to her advantage. I am not advocating that all girls to use sex to murder boys or undermine them in any way, but I think every girl can take a lesson from Judith and be comfortable with themselves to do anything they believe in.
Judith and Holofernes by Caravaggio
Finally, skip to the 20th century and witness the emergence of feminist and identity art. These women including Judy Chicago, Barbara Kruger, and Faith Ringgold, asserted their womanly influence in the art world and were successful at it. For example, Chicago’s "Dinner Table" ensemble shows the placement of 13 women at a triangular table, suggesting the Last Supper. The triangle was used because there is no “head of the table” as in a traditional patriarchy. In addition, the names of hundreds of women who were integral to the history of the world, but have subsequently been forgotten due their gender, adorn the center panel. These women, including Sojourner Truth and Eleanor of Aquitaine (Guda should be on there too!), are still important, relevant, and have not been discarded. These powerful and influential women loved themselves and made a difference in the world; hopefully, today’s females can realize this, be proud of themselves, and use their confidence to help others. Who knows, maybe their names will be inscribed on a monumental piece of feminist art some day (I hope mine is!).
Source:
Stokkstad’s AP Art History book
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