Women Artists: From Antiquity to the 20th Century

What you'll learn

Learn art theory and history with our Art Courses in Sydney!

In a profession historically dominated by men, the contributions of women artists have often been overlooked despite their profound impact on the cultural direction of the visual arts.

This exploration will delve into pivotal moments and figures such as the flourishing of women artists in the university town of Bologna, Rosalba Carriera's revolutionary work with pastels, Edmonia Lewis's groundbreaking career in Rome, and the influence of women on French Impressionism in late 19th-century Paris. 

Over four classes, we will uncover how these artists not only navigated but also transformed the visual arts landscape, reshaping the narrative of women's roles in this field.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this Women Artists Course, you should have:

• Gained an understanding of how female artists have successfully established themselves as both innovators and critical cultural catalysts within the history of art.
• Developed an understanding of how women artists have built careers amidst historical discrimination, prejudice, and sexism.
• Identified how gender is expressed and defined by visual culture.

Course content

What will be covered in this Women Artists Course?

Week 1: Women Artists: from Antiquity to the Seventeenth Century

• Pliny the Elder’s accounts of Greco-Roman women artists in his Natural History 
• Sister Plautilla Nelli (1524–1588), Dominican Nun and Florentine painter
• Women artists in the University town of Bologna - Properzia de’ Rossi (c. 1490-1530), Sofonisba Anguissola (1532-1625), Lavinia Fontana (1552-1614), Elisabetta Sirani (1638-1665)
• Artemisia Gentileschi  (1593 - 1654) – Master of the Caravaggesque manner

Week 2: Women Artists: The Enlightenment

• Rosalba Carriera (1673-1757), innovator in pastel
• Giulia Lama (1681-1747), Venetian Master of figurative narrative
• Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807), a renowned history painter

Week 3: Women Artists: From the French Revolution to the American Civil War

• Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun (1755-1842), portrait painter to Queen Marie Antoinette 
• Constance Mayer (1775 - 1821) and French Neoclassicism      
• Edmonia Lewis (1844 – 1907), First Nations-African American sculptor in Rome

Week 4: Women Artists: From French Impressionism to the 20th Century

• Berthe Morisot (1841 - 1895) and the French Impressionists 
• Clarice Beckett (1887 – 1935) and the Australian tonalist movement                                                                       
• Käthe Kollwitz (1867 – 1945) and a world of social inequality

Intended audience

Who is this Women Artists Course for?

This course is for anyone interested in exploring the significant contributions of women artists throughout art history.

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon Street & Victoria Road)

Course materials

What to bring to class

• A notebook and pen for notes and observations.
• A willingness to explore and discuss art across the ages.