Abstract
Male artists created much of the artwork in the early modern period. Despite this, some female artists flourished and altered the course of painting forever, especially in self-portraiture. However, becoming a successful artist as a woman throughout the sixteenth and seventieth centuries was not a straightforward experience, as woman artists navigated complex gendered obstacles. The following independent study is an art historical analysis of self-portraiture by Italian women artists between 1550-1680. Specifically, this research will look at four women artists who prioritized self-portraiture to promote their professional identity as artists within a male-dominated sphere. The four female artists discussed throughout this research are Sofonisba Anguissola, Lavinia Fontana, Artemisia Gentileschi, and Elisabetta Sirani. Utilizing a feminist lens and paying close attention to early modern iconographical context, I will dissect three techniques women artists employed to bolster their artwork and maintain an appropriate appearance as a woman. The first technique discussed is the addition of iconographies which stressed education, intelligence, modesty, and general capabilities within painting. The second technique began combining self-portraiture with history painting, as female artists began painting self-portraits fused with the allegory of painting, or Pittura. The final technique branched off self-fashioning fusions with Pittura as women artists represented themselves as female heroines, such as Judith and Timoclea. The findings from this analysis showcase how female artists maintained a balance between proper social presentation and professional identity, and how they built upon self-portraiture over time, creating more complex paintings that propelled themselves in innovative ways.
Advisor
Morrow, Kara
Department
Art and Art History
Recommended Citation
Olson, Jessica R., "Working Women: How Early Modern Women Artists Generated Empowering Self-Portraits in Male Dominated Italian Culture" (2023). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 10766.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/10766
Disciplines
Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture | History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology
Keywords
Self-Portraiture, Women Artists, Renaissance, Baroque, Sofonisba Anguissola, Artemisia Gentileschi, Lavinia Fontana, Elisabetta Sirani
Publication Date
2023
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis
© Copyright 2023 Jessica R. Olson
