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| Untitled Sebastiano Mainardi Second Half of the 18th Century |
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| Design in the Ceiling of the Royal Academy in London Angelica Kauffman 1778 |
The above images demonstrate a radical change. Mainardi merely implies the woman objectified in the foreground holds an education by placing a book in the background on the shelf. Even then, the book would have represented her family's education, not the subject's. Kauffman completely deviates from the standard by showing an educated woman in action. She's not only implied as educated, she's enthralled with her art. She's completely absorbed and defined by her education, not her profile.
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| Marie Antoinette with Her Children Elisabeth Louise Vigee-Lebraun 1787 |
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| Marie Antoinette Elisabeth Louise Vigee-Lebraun 1783 |
In these examples, we have the unique opportunity to analyze the difference between two different works of the same artist. The paintings, created only four years apart, show a radical difference in artist intention. The first, created in 1783, was created purely for the viewing pleasure of the queen and her subjects. She's depicted in stunning dress, with a perfect rose, and her beauty literally glows in her porcelain skin. The latter painting shows a very different queen. This is a mother not only of the children, but of her country. She cradles a child in her lap while one looks lovingly to her face. The other child calmly gestures to an empty cradle, a reference to the hardships the queen faced in conceiving and miscarrying a child. This painting adds substance and moral credibility to a monarchy whose foundations crumbled in the face of revolution.
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| Portrait of a Noble Woman Allori Alessandro Late 17th Centry |
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| Woman Knitting Francoise Duparc Late 18th Century |
The last two images are a comparison of virtue. Alessandro's Portrait of a Noble Woman is another image of a woman meant to be analzyed at face value. The artist paints her with beautiful skin in ornate dress. She's mean to act as a trophy, representing her family's wealth and beauty. A book rests in her hand along with a handkerchief, again implying connections to education and perhaps skills in lacemaking. Duparc's image, in comparison, is nearly radical. Duparc features a young woman hard at work on her knitting. While Alessandro's woman stares at the viewer, aware of the gaze she lives under, the subject in Woman Knitting is completely absorbed. Her concentration is meant as a sign of virtue. She stares concentratedly at the knitting because she's a dedicated homemaker. Her activity isn't just a show of her skill, it's a testament to her virtues.
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