by Octavia

Created on: April 23, 2008

As paintings continued to become more accessible to the public, and male artists began to explore painting on canvas, women too began to gain footing as artists. Though art had been considered a man's profession, with the occasional female artist breaking ranks, women had rarely procured a steady income from their artistic endeavors.

In the seventeenth century, a few female artists did manage to make a stipend from their artwork. As the Baroque era took hold in European society, art materials became more affordable, and paintings began to appear in more homes than at any other time before. The groundwork having been set, still-life's became a popular genre, thanks in large part to women such as Clara Peeters, Rachel Ruysch, Giovanna Garzoni and Judith Leyster. Had women been allowed to study anatomy and science, perhaps they would have excelled in other genres such as portraiture or landscapes (Anderson 415), however, paintings of "nature suspended," were quite fashionable in the 1600's, making Giovanna Garzoni's (1600-1670) skillfull depictions of nature greatly popular (Getty), despite the fact that she'd had no formal training in science and she began making a comfortable income from her depictions of nature in her art.

Before becoming intent on marriage and family, Judith Leyster (1609-1660) had led a life similar to that of a male artist. She had gained admittance to the painter's guild and had produced paintings of traditional scenes with exceptional quality. Due to her wide range of uses of texture, as well as her diversity among subjects be it still life, genre scenes, or portraits, she was able to earn enough money from painting to support herself.

In the eighteenth century, women continued to strive for recognition in the art field. Elizabeth Vigee-Librun (1755-1842) and Anne Valleyer-Coster (1744-1818) are just two such exemplary figures. Vigee-Lebrun was the official portraitist for Marie Antoinette, the Queen Of France (Slatkin 83), while Valleyer-Coster excelled in still life painting as one of the best flower painters in France (Raven 214). Both women did quite well, earning a living occupied with art.

The first four of the following entries contain links to display the works mentioned in this article.

Giovanna Garzoni "A Bowl With Peas And Two Roses."
http://www.art.com/asp/display_artist-asp/_/c rid-4235/Giovanna_Garzoni.htm

Judith Leyster, "Still Life"
http://www-english.tamu.edu/pers/fac/phillippy/ _women_artists/leyster/img/stilllife.jpg

Elizabeth Louise Vigee Le Brun "Portrait Of Madame Mole-Raymond"
http://www.batguano.com/VLB12.jpg

Anne Vallayer-Coster "Still Life With Tufts of Marine Plants, Shells and Corals"
http://www.topofart.com/artists/Anne_Vallayer -Coster/art_reproduction/3430/Still_Life_with_Tuft_o f_Marine_Plants,_Shells_and_Corals.php

Anderson, Bonnie S. and Judith P. Zinsser.
"A History Of Their Own, Women In Europe From Prehistory To the Present Day," Volume 1. Harper and Row, c.1989.

Getty J. Paul. J. Paul Getty Museum. Giovanna Garzoni.
http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artMaker Details?maker=21178

Raven, Susan and Alison Weir.
Women Of Achievement, Thirty-Five Centuries Of History. Harmony Books, New York, c. 1981.

Slatkin, Wendy.
Women Artists In History From Antiquity To the 20th Century, second edition. Prentice Hall, New York, c. 1990.

Learn more about this author, Octavia.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.