Throughout art history, female artists often had to fight to ensure that their art and work was recognized as their own creation. Unfortunately, there are still many stories of paintings by women over the centuries that have been misattributed to other, male artists. Art historians like Charles Sterling argued that art made by women had a distinctly “feminine spirit” that emphasized the differences between the sexes and their abilities to paint. Women were not welcomed into the art world; they had to push their way into the discourse in order to display their work. Because many paintings were made without clear claims as to who created them, female artists have been overlooked when art historians attempt to attribute their art. These women, who have long since been lost to the past, cannot advocate for themselves, and consistently, as in the case of these paintings you will see, they have been ignored.
This exhibition attempts to bring back these voices. By displaying their work and giving them credit for their pioneering art, it hopefully becomes more evident of the strength and beauty of female artistry. Their art, so dear to these women, has been given back to them.
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Museo del Prado, Spain
Sofonisba Anguissola was a court painter for King Philip II, yet was officially labeled as a lady-in-waiting for the queen. This complicated things when later art historians attempted to attribute her work, as they did not believe that she was a painter. Many of her paintings were unsigned, and thus attributed to the official court painter, Alonso Coello. Until the early 1900s, this was continued to be encouraged by historians until further study of Aguissola’s works occurred. This is not the only work of hers that was incorrectly attributed.
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Rijksstudio, Netherlands
Marietta Robusti was the daughter of “Tintoretto”, a well-known artist in the 16th century. She learned how to paint by shadowing him while he worked and apprenticing in his workshop. Because women were not welcome to participate in the public world of art, Marietta’s best access to a following came through her father’s reputation as an artist. Their connection, and the prominence of his name over hers led many art historians to attribute some of her work to her father. In 1920, this painting was finally recognized as a work by Marietta.
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Schloss Weissenstein, Germany
Artemesia Gentileschi also grew up under the patronage of her father’s reputation as an artist and she studied under his guidance. Once again, because of their connection, many art historians originally attributed some of her work as his. Her skill at even a young age made people question whether she could actually paint something so powerful and intricate. Artemesia did not shy away from paintings that depicted powerful female characters. Despite the fact that her work was not always correctly attributed, they still provoke thoughts about the female experience, as seen in this painting.
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oil on canvas
68 cm × 54 cm
Musée de Louvre, France
Judith Leyster painted many different genre paintings that depicted Dutch folk life, and her paintings were widely popular. However, she was largely forgotten after her death, and much of her work was attributed to Frans Hal, a well-known Dutch genre painter, or her husband, Jan Molenaer. The painting above was sold as a Frans Hal, and in the late 1800s, the Louvre discovered that, underneath Hal’s signature, they found Leyster’s own signature mark. It was unclear when Hal’s signature was added, or by whom, but for a time it diminished Leyster’s own efforts and skill.
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The Metropolitan Museum of Art, United States
This painting has been through quite a few different attributions. It was first attributed to Jacques Louis David, then to a Madame Charpentier, and finally to Marie Denise Villers. Marie Villers made few paintings during her career as an artist, but her sister also painted. Some years after she created this painting, it was revisited and examined, and it had passed through generations of the du Val d’Ognes family, who promoted it as being painted by Jacques Louis David. After many years of debate, it was finally attributed to Marie Villers.
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Watercolor and gouache on ivory
4 1/2 x 3 1/2 in.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, United States
Clarissa Peters Russell often painted miniatures, and she worked closely with her husband, a fellow painter. Their styles were considered similar enough that it was not uncommon for her works to be attributed to her husband instead, and she sometimes left her works unsigned as well, or even signed with her husband's name ("Mrs. Moses B. Russell"). This work in particular stands out against the rest because it is not an oil on canvas painting like the others. Instead, this is a miniature painting on ivory, a style popular in New England at the time.
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