I had to read an article for my art history class that dealt with women and art. I had to write a response paper about the article and I thought I would share it with the class:
Linda Nochlin, the author of Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists, opened my eyes to a question that unfortunately never crossed my mind. Why have there been no great women artists? This question can be applied to many other disciplines besides art, and feminist critiques are vital to a society that is able to view male and females as equals. Nochlin gives various examples of why women artists have not received the same recognition as men and how women are not as encouraged to pursue careers in art as their male counterparts. Nochlin also points out the possible differences in the painting styles of men and women that have been asserted by those who dominate the arts—white males. Women are traditionally thought to paint domestic scenes or scenes of delicate precious moments; however, there are women artists who paint scenes that would be considered those of “masculine” influence. While women artists have not been given the credit that they deserve as equals to their male counterparts, I also believe that Nochlin makes a good argument in showing that any successful artist needs three things: the availability to great schools of art, strong and encouraging relationships with a dominant artist and/or patron, and the ability to express oneself artistically without social hindrances.
The first of the three things needed for the success of a great artist—the availability to great schools of arts—is by far the most important. Without strenuous training from experts in the field, even the most talented young artist could possibly not live up to his or her full potential. I think that as a college student, I have learned which career I am suited for based upon the education that I have received. As Nochlin states, the prejudice that women artists have received and the lack of objects they could use—including the fact that the male and female nude where excluded from their study—has hindered them from developing their skills further. I think if the same experiences that male students receive were given to women artists; they would receive more recognition and possibly achieve the same level of greatness as the men in their fields.
Strong and encouraging relationships with a dominant artist and/or patron are keys to whether the artist thrives or fails. I realized through this article that many of the women who did gain some type of success either had artist fathers or close ties with a popular male artist. Great male artists also share the same characteristics, but how is it that they gained more success than women artists? This can only be concluded by the lack of the other two factors needed for the success of an artist. Though encouragement and guidance is needed, there must also be the same accessibility to great schools and a society that encourages young women to pursue the same careers as men.
Society has placed a great deal of pressure among both males and females about the way they should conduct themselves and live their lives. I noticed that this article makes a great deal of mention to the way that women were viewed as artists especially in the nineteenth century. The “lady painter” only painted to make her more-well rounded and not as a way of developing a skill that she could use as an occupation. The lady painter’s main goal was to keep her place as a woman which meant to stay at home and raise a family. I agree totally that the lack of social hindrances also leads to the success of an artist.
Although it seems—given the many centuries that art has influenced human life—that at least one great woman artist should have emerged, but one must also take into consideration that the three aforementioned factors needed for an artist’s success were usually not afforded to women. Linda Nochlin, though strongly convinced of the past discrimination that women artists have received, also points out that contemporary women artists must now take the steps their predecessors were not able to take given the time period. That “leap into the unknown” could change the course of history and break a barrier that has been keeping many women from achieving greatness.
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3 comments:
I really like the points you bring up because you could pose this question to pretty much any area in the arts--literature, music, etc. In terms of respectability and popularity, women just don't seem to be given the same values in terms of how men are judged. Is there a female musician on par with the Beatles or Bob Dylab? These artists have developed a sort of cult following (along with extreme mainstream popularity) and respectability for their musicianship that to me, seems to be stronger and more prevalent than that of a female artist, such as Janis Joplin. The Beatles and Bob Dylan are artists practically worshipped by both men and women. My friend once said that men are just better musicians. I feel like a lot of people, men and women, take this view.
While I agree with all your reasons on why there are no great women artists, I think there are causes that go deeper than that. Why can't women pursue the arts with the same vigor as men? Why isn't an artist like Georgia O' Keeffe looked at in the same way as Jackson Pollack? I'm sure the latter name is much more prevalent and recognizable than the former.
Like you mentioned in your article, women have traditionally pursued art as a hobby. Their main function was to be a good wife and mother. Maybe that's why we think women aren't capable of producing great works of art? Another point that you mentioned is the difference in painting styles. The value of a piece of art is based on who views it--it's not some universal judgement system. It seems as though we place more value and admiration, traditionally, on those works produced by white males.
I think this topic really interests me because it's one of the most obvious indicators on how our value system is constructed, especially in terms of the arts; it is very much gender-based. To me, it seems as though there are outstanding males in almost every area--medicine, astronomy, politics, the arts (culinary, dance, literature, art, music...) compared to women--at least this is how mainstream society views these individuals. I think with our society approaching idealized democratic values (in terms of ethnicity and gender), this is changing. Still, in terms of the mainstream, the idea of truly great women artists/musicians/leaders is still developing. When we believe it to be true, it will be true.
Interestingly, I am much more familiar with the name Georgia O'Keeffe than I am with the name Jackson Pollack. And as I grew up, I learned of Mary Cassatt long before I even knew Manet or Matisse existed. I am not particularly interested in art, and my mother is not particularly feminist. While I agree that women artists receive less recognition, have had less access to education and have had less necessary relationships with their betters, I do not agree that they must express themselves artistically without social hindrances.
Often great art is born out of social hindrances. Art is pushed to be even more effective when it has to prove itself past a hindrance. Mary Cassatt's early works were not accepted into the salon by the men running it. She kept trying and was invited into the impressionist circle by Degas. Sometimes social hindrance is necessary, to bring about the necessary amount of passion and drive to get our work out.
Mary Cassatt also went beyond the stereotype with her work, completely changing the focus. Rather than domestic scenes being those which she was subjected to by a male dominated society, Cassatt found power in domestic art. Often painting women and their children, small girls and "delicate" moments, Cassatt found power in her subject. Men could not depict the beautiful images she did quite as clearly, because they never experienced it.
We have been used or some call it mused for a long time but when it comes to be the creator, there is always a pause.
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