Women in art: discover the truly empowering women artists in history

In recent decades, the voices of female artists have grown louder and interest in the female artists of history has grown as well. These women, who succeeded despite adversity, are now receiving more recognition for their work. This is an opportunity to celebrate some of the pioneering female artists of history by exploring their stories and their art.

Historically, discussions of art often exclude the contributions of women artists because they faced barriers to accessing the same opportunities as male artists.

But women had limited access to apprenticeships or other studio training, while men had greater ease in seeking them out. This inequality led to men dominating the art scene while women if they were able to practice art at all, had to make do with less. Despite these challenges, many women artists fought to have their voices heard and their work seen and recognized. And today, it’s time to appreciate the successes of these artists and their brilliance. So, here are some of the most influential women in art throughout history.

Shirin Neshat

Iranian photographer and filmmaker Shirin Neshat is a trailblazer in the contemporary art world for her works that encourage meaningful conversations on issues related to culture, gender, and time. She left Iran in 1975 to study at the University of California-Berkeley and graduated with an MFA, but she did not launch her career until the 1990s when a return trip to Iran inspired her to raise awareness about injustices in her home country and raise important questions about gender equality and cultural differences on a global scale. Her Women of Allah (1993-1997) series of photographs captures these themes through images of women in traditional Muslim dress adorned with the script and accented with weapons, as a direct commentary on the role of women in the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War. Neshat has since expanded her practice into filmmaking, using her work as a call to action for those who engage with it.

Frida Kahlo

One of the most powerful self-portraits created by a female artist must be those of Frida Kahlo, a Mexican master of symbolism and compositional complexity. Born outside Mexico City in 1907, she suffered severe injuries in her teens due to a bus accident. These wounds would affect her for much of her life, but one source of comfort for a bedridden young Kahlo was painting, thanks to a special easel apparatus made by her mother. These studies contribute to the artist’s lifelong passion for painting as a way to express her feelings.

Artemisia Gentileschi

Artemisia Gentileschi is an essential figure in any list of women artists throughout history, who was a Baroque-era success story. She had access to painting as her father, Orazio, was an established painter with his own studio where she could train. Despite facing mistreatment from the men she shared the space with, a common experience for women in male-dominated fields throughout history, she responded by creating a powerful body of work that embraced the Baroque era's dramatic allure and outlasted that of any of her contemporaries, including her tutor whom she had accused of rape. Her power as an artist is evident in Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting (1638-1639), where she depicts herself as the literal embodiment of painting.

Rosa Bonheur

Rosa Bonheur, a 19th-century painter known for her progressive style, was skilled at capturing the beauty of nature and animals. One of her most famous works, "The Horse Fair" (1852), depicts the energy and activity of a Parisian horse market. The painting took over a year to complete and was done secretly, with Bonheur disguising herself as a man to avoid unwanted attention.

Georgia O’Keeffe

Georgia O’Keeffe is a true pioneer of abstract painting and was not afraid to play with color and composition to capture captivating views of the American geography. She imagined city skylines when she was living in New York but she also painted iconic panoramas of the Southwest.

The artist simplified many of the traditional elements of her art to create a style that reacted to her European contemporaries and made a home for American artwork on the global stage. Among her most famous topics are her paintings of blossoms, where she cropped sights of flower blooms so near that they became investigations in form and color. Petals reveal a myriad of blooms in an almost magical terrain as O’Keeffe shows her viewers the pressures between the facts of wilderness and the magnificence of conception.

In conclusion

Despite the challenges faced by women artists in the past, many have still managed to create remarkable works of art. Though some may not have received the recognition they deserved, it is important to acknowledge and appreciate their passion and ambition. These women have left behind a legacy of beloved and enduring works of art.