Although many women have made significant contributions to the world of art, some of these artists were able to carve a niche for themselves in exceptional ways.
These were not just well-known women, but among the most famous and influential painters, sculptors, and architects of all time. So here are some female artists that ruled over the art.
‘Art as an equal opportunity for all artists,’ regardless of background or period, is still very much a work in progress.
It's a shame that not all artists receive the same treatment as many other famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci or Henri Matisse, who were instantly recognised and exhibited worldwide for their work.
Female artists have unfortunately lacked this recognition for decades and had to walk several steps back just to prove that they are worthy of even entering the artistic world like their male counterparts.
Female artists were also successful because they created new perspectives for women in art.
In the 19th century, many women temporarily played the role of an artist that helped shape society's expectations of what a woman is or should be.
However, female artists have been working hard and well to change this stereotype and deserve recognition for all of the talents they've displayed throughout history, and some of them are:
FAINA RANEVSKAYA
These are just some of the many influential artists in history; however, some women attained fame in their unique way due to their contributions to art and architecture. One of the first women to make it big in the art world was Faina Ranevskaya, who was born in 1880.
Ranevskaya became a world-renowned artist and writer after her work was displayed at the International Exhibition of Modern Art at The Armoury Show in 1913. Her work has influenced and inspired many other female artists through her use of brushstrokes and colour.
ZAHA HADID
However, some female artists can stand out as unique due to their innovations and works. Zaha Hadid is one such woman who has become exceptionally well known for her contributions to architecture and construction. Hadid was born in Baghdad, Iraq, but moved to London with her family when she was 16.
She studied architecture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris before moving to London to pursue her career in architecture. She continued her education at the Architectural Association School of Architecture.
ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI
Some of her notable works include:
JUDITH SLAYING HOLOFERNES
In contrast to Hadid's style, here are the women who have influenced and inspired other artists. Judith Slaying Holofernes is a painting by Artemisia Gentileschi which portrays Judith taking Holofernes's head as he lies on his bed.
The story is one of love and revenge: Judith was married to Holofernes, but she fell in love with his ally Achior after many years of both men being faithful to their respective wives. Achior betrayed Judith by telling Holofernes of her affair. When Judith found out she was going to be taken away, she invited Holofernes to eat a meal with her, then slit his throat once he fell asleep after the dinner.
MARGARET GEORGE
The story has been depicted in several different ways through artwork and literature. In the painting by Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith is shown as a "beautiful" woman who is now taking revenge on the man who wronged her. The painting provides a sense of beauty as well as violence in one image; however, it can be interpreted differently by those who take a closer look at it.
SOFONISBA ANGUISSOLA
Sofonisba Anguissola was a very talented Italian painter, draftsman, and printmaker. She was also one of the most influential female painters of her day. Anguissola is famous for her distinctive style and use of soft colours such as lavender tones and pink hues in her paintings. She is considered one of the first female artists to incorporate the nude into an artwork by including at least one nude female figure in each piece that she painted or drew. She painted many portraits, among them a portrait of herself, which was hung alongside other members of the ruling Medici family.
ANGELICA KAUFFMANN
Angelica Kauffmann was a Swiss-born Italian painter and printmaker who was largely active in Italy. She has been described as "one of the most versatile and prodigious female artistic talents of the late eighteenth century." She is best known for her works in Neoclassical painting and is often referred to as the "first woman artist celebrated for her work in history painting."
She was also one of the first female painters to make a living out of their paintings. Angelica, like Sofonisba Anguissola before her, painted many portraits. She incorporated elements of Romanticism into many of her famous pieces.
FRIDA KAHLO
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter and one of the first modern female artists. She is famous for her bold, bright, and non-conformist paintings, which often portray her struggles with her identity. She began painting when she was five years old and had her first solo exhibition while still in high school. After graduating high school, she married Diego Rivera, a prominent Mexican muralist and artist who encouraged her to paint.
Together they travelled extensively between Mexico, the US, and Europe, where both participated in numerous exhibitions throughout their career.
MARY CASSATT
In 1878 Mary was the first female student to study at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. She did not only study there but also taught art classes. Mary found success with painting scenes of motherhood and home life, which were often set in her native Pittsburgh or Paris.
ROSA BONHEUR
Born in France, Rosa Bonheur was a famous animal painter. She studied under her father, Nicolas Bonheur, and as a teenager, she drew and sculpted animals. She is well-known for her painting 'The Horse Fair,' which was exhibited in 1853 by the Paris Salon.
ANNE BRIGMAN
Born in 1841, Anne Brigman was an American Impressionist painter and printmaker who travelled to Paris to study at the Louvre and Ecole des Beaux-Arts. She used themes of domesticity because she felt that women were not represented enough in art history. She had no formal training but loved to draw from a young age.
HERRAD VON LANDSBERG
The main themes of her art were women and children. She was one of German history's first and most influential female artists. Her work was intense, original, and very well-known. Unfortunately, she died at a young age.
LUCY EVELINA KING
Lucy was the girl who made her mark on the art world. She was well-known for her realistic paintings of everyday life. Lucy spent her life travelling around Europe and collecting materials for her paintings. She became famous in 1846 after she exhibited at the Royal Academy in London, where she ignored all of the rules by creating one of her most famous pieces, 'The Dinner Party.' Lucy is also known for her friendship with artist John Ruskin and their unusual attire, which earned them their nicknames 'the lady with the fountain pen' and 'the lady with the saucepan hat.'
HILDA CLARK
Hilda Clark was an Australian artist who spent most of her life in Melbourne, Australia. The modernist movement heavily influences her work. During her career, she was regularly shown at the Heide Museum of Modern Art and won many awards for her art practice, including the Wynne Prize for landscape painting in 1952, 1954, and 1960.
Other Honourable mentions are:
Marianne Moore - one of America's most celebrated poets
Elizabeth Cady Stanton became the first woman to run for President in 1892, and Virginia Woolf, a renowned author, is known for her novels Mrs Dalloway and To the Lighthouse. However, some art forms are associated with women more than others. Music, dance, theatre, and visual arts have strong female traditions with many famous female artists. But only recently have cinema and photography become another influential art form dominated by males.
Georgia O'Keeffe is known for her paintings that merge abstract art with vibrant colour use.
CONCLUSION
A lot of female artists have changed the ideas, visions and running principles of the art industry just by taking a bold step and making a move to make a difference in the art world. And this innovative movement started with the women listed above like Georgia O'Keeffe, Hilda Clark and Faina Ranevskaya just to mention but a few, and because of these movements they have changed the perception of the world on women in the art industry.
FAQs
Who were some women that made a change in the art industry?
Some women who made a change in the art industry are Georgia O'Keeffe, Hilda Clark and Faina Ranevskaya just to mention a few.
When did women begin to make a name for themselves in the art industry?
Women began to make a name for themselves as early as the 1900s when Faina Ranevskaya had her work displayed at the International Exhibition of Modern Art at The Armoury Show in 1913.