According to Chadwick, the role of women in Europe “remained circumscribed by a Christian ethic that stressed obedience and chastity” (Chadwick, 44). Women were expected to take care of the home, their husbands, and their children without hesitation. Women were not allowed to read or write, and many faced scrutiny from society if they shared their own opinions. If a man wanted to, he could hit and beat his wife if she did something to upset him or the rules of society. However, some women had much more privileges than others. The emphasis on church and religion at the time allowed for women to learn and express by becoming a Nun. Although Nuns had to conform to societal rules such as patriarchy, Nuns had the privilege of creating and following ideas with the protection and permission of the church. According to the Guerrilla Girls, Nuns were able to teach and express their opinions with much more ease than the average European woman, and they also wrote books on various topics and subjects that were dominated by men, such as medicine, sacred music, and science (Guerrilla Girls 22). Women were also granted certain privileges if they were lucky enough to be born into upper-class families, in which their privilege were inherited by the men of their family. If a women was born into a noble household, the woman would be much more recognized due to her family background; A perfect example of this would be Hildegard of Bingen. Hildegard of Bingen, also known as Saint Hildegard of Bingen, was a well-known artist author, composer, preacher, pharmacist, and much more. These professions were seldom when one would think of a woman in the Middle Ages, but Hildegard had much more privilege than most. Not only was she a Nun, but she was from a noble household. Due to her status, she was allowed to study and practice medicine, religion, art, and many other things.
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| Die wahre Dreiheit in der wahren Einheit. Manuscript illumination from Scivias (Know the Ways) by Hildegard of Bingen, 1151; in Disibodenberg. |
Shortly after the Middle Ages, a lot of societal norms were subject to change with the new ideas that followed the Renaissance. The Renaissance allowed for people to expand their minds by approaching ideas with logic and science. People began to question systems and authority, and eventually, the impact of the church declined. However, this progress did not automatically change the roles of women in Europe, as it was much slower and gradual. Men gained much more success and power over women due to the belief that women had little skills to contribute. Women were allowed to contribute towards the embroidery and needlework industry, and did so greatly, because men believed that the work was minimal if compared to actually painting or studying science. The only possible way that a woman had the ability to work as an artist would be if they were “born into a family of artists that needed assistance in the family workshop” (Guerrilla Girls 29). But with the new ideologies of the Renaissance, guilds and academies came about. Although mostly attended by men, some women of status were allowed to study and join guilds or academies. The women were allowed to paint only if they were born and trained by and within a family of painters. Lack of recognition did not stop women from painting or creating art, though, because it was an acceptable hobby for women as long as it was in private.
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| Self-portrait, oil on canvas by Sofonisba Anguissola, 1556; in the Castle Museum, Łańcut, Poland. |
Once the seventeenth century approached, much began to finally change for women. Paintings and their meanings began to change as more women began to create art. Women began to create paintings and other works of art that essentially criticized and retaliated against the Male Gaze. Chadwick describes the seventeenth century as a time of "growth" that "led to a new emphasis on the depiction of courage and physical prowess in representation" (Chadwick 106). Women began to rewrite the narratives that men created, giving women the chance to finally speak through their art about sexism and patriarchy.
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| Judith Beheading Holofernes, oil on canvas by Artemisia Gentileschi, 1611-12; in the Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples. |
A great example of said bravery of women is the oil painting by Artemisia Gentileschi, "Judith Beheading Holofernes," Gentileschi was an Italian painter, and daughter of another well-known Italian painter, Orazio Gentileschi. Gentileschi was allowed to practice art as she helped and was trained in the profession from her father. In the picture above, Gentileschi depicts the common tale of Judith, a daring and charming woman that ultimately saves her people from the tyranny of King Holofernes by killing him herself. The painting shows Judith, with the help of her maidservant, relentlessly pinning down the King on his bed while she chops his head off. The effort of the women and the struggle of the King is captured by the shadows and structures of their arm muscles, and the great amount of blood shows how serious the physical this act really is. Despite being based on the classic bible scene, Gentileschi paints herself as Judith and her mentor and rapist, Agostino Tassi, as the King. Although Tassi is tried and convicted of rape, prior to his conviction, Orazio offered Tassi to marry Artemisia to excuse his rape. The painting is Gentileschi's way of retaliating against rape and expressing her rage.
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| Hiawatha, marble sculpture by Edmond Lewis, 1868; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. |
Women continued to paint, and as time progressed, women began to paint flowers and botanical illustrations. Chadwick explains that this particular genre of painting required a steady hand and patience, which many women had due to housework and needlework, so it was very popular from the seventeenth to the eighteenth century. Women also began painting more publicly around this time period too, but only because women were "emphasizing beauty, gracefulness, and modesty," all things that society believed women should be and value. But as time approached the nineteenth century, this genre was deemed inferior and women began to form their own unions to challenge the prejudice they faced together. Women created a sense of sisterhood to rebel against societal norms, and they also began writing and painting much more publicly to emphasize equality. Rather than asking, women began demanding equality by including themselves in powerful narratives, as well as supporting one another immensely. Artists such as Rosa Bonheur, Edmonia Lewis, and Harriet Powers, all encouraged women to be rebellious and to unhinge themselves from the chains society and men placed on them. Not only did women begin demanding equality in art, but in politics, science, law, and much more. Fast forward to the twenty-first century, and women are still fighting an uphill battle against mysoginy, sexism, and patriarchy. However, women are now able to vote, work, become scientists, artists, lawyers, and everything else, so much progress has been made over the past two centuries. One can only hope to witness the day women are given equal pay and the idea of patriarchy is well within the past.
Works Cited
Chadwick, Whitney. Women, Art, and Society. Langara College, 2016.
The Guerrilla Girls' Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art. Penguin Books, 2006.
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