Women Throughout The Ages

Women have always had a hard time being treated as equals to men and have their own place in society established by women themselves. Back then, during the Middle Ages women, the role of women was determined by what was written in the bible, and taught at churches: "While women's social roles remained circumscribed by Christian ethic that stressed obedience and chastity, by the demands of maternal and domestic responsibility, and by the feudal legal system organized around the control of poverty, there is evidence that their lives, as those of men, were also shaped by economic and social forces outside ecclesiastic control, at least during the period of the early Middle Ages" (Chadwick 44). Women followed the orders of men (i.e. fathers, brothers or husbands) and their roles as members of society were usually to be the wives' of men who would stay at home, cook, look after and raise the children. The church during the Middle Age's had much more power and was much more prevalent in society than what is has come to be in our time, allowing men to have so much power over and dominate women.



Illustration in a Bodleian Library manuscript, Ms764, f. 4iv.

The image above depicts the kind of work women were expected to do during the Middle Age's, milking cows, cooking, baking etc.

 



One of the few ways that women could be recognized as artists during this time were if men allowed them to pursue education in the arts. Fathers seemed to be a bit more supporting but the problem during this time period is that women were often married off to men, preferably to men of nobility. So if a woman wanted to continue to study to become an exceptional painter than it was important for the woman to find a man who would be comfortable with her interest in art and be willing to allow her to continue in the art field. Another method that afforded women the opportunity to continue working in the arts and allow them to get some form of education was to attend a convent and become a nun. One nun in particular, Hildegard of Bingen was one of few women who's art which depicts illustrations of religion, is well known and considered great. As a nun due to her conviction with things pertaining to religion and God, she was allowed to travel around and preach the word of the Lord. However Hildegard was wise enough to know that she should: "not challenge the Church's views on the subjection of women" (Chadwick 59) for she knew that the church was far too powerful for much of any reform to begin in this era.

Hildegard of Bingen, Scivias, f. I r, 1142-1152

The image above depicts God revealing and instructing Hildegard in what He wants her to do, but we also see a monk 'intruding' and attempting to see and copy what she seems to be writing down.

 

Reform came slowly for women, many women who had skills were not socially accepted leading to many women not being represent correctly or their fathers, brothers, or husbands being accredited for the work that they produced. It was a cultural ideology that lead to society doing that to women however it also produced a: "subsequent shift in of women's role in visual culture from one of production to one of being represented" (Chadwick 67). Women were able to have a foothold in society but in order to obtain that they were: "Often forced to choose between marriage and learning, a significant number of them entered cloisters or secluded themselves otherwise" (Chadwick 71). For some women it was an easy decision, forget about the people who have brought them down for centuries and seek self-empowerment to become a more significant part of society. More than just a wife who's expected to keep the household up and running in the absence of men, and more than just a 'trophy wife' showed off at certain events, then being placed back in the background, going back to the duties expected to be completed of her.

There were of course many women during the renaissance that were allowed to educate themselves such as Sofonisba Anguissola who was permitted to seek education due to her father "who apparently decided to educate his seven children according to the humanist ideals of the renaissance in the belief that they would bring honor to their city" (Chadwick 78). She was what was needed, a strong educated women capable of breaking the mold of that housewife role that had been established for centuries. Judith Leyster was another powerful artist that depicted scenarios which were common at the time such as The Proposition, 1631 where a man is bribing an embarrassed female victim into having sex with him, further emphasizing what men believed women were good for at the time. Angelica Kauffmann was another woman who was able to reproduce works based on historical works before her time, its interesting to note that despite no training in nude modeling which is what historical paintings were based on, her determination and ambition were enough for her to strive forward and accomplish her goals.

The nineteenth century brought about the biggest reform for women, where women could produce works of art in all fields, such as sculpting, quilting and painting. Artists such as Harriet Powers, Harriet Hosmer, and Lily Martin Spencer are just a few of the women who created works depicting serous issues at the time. Powers produced the Pictorial Quilt, which illustrates the issue of slavery and abolishing racial injustices that were forced upon African Americans at the time. Spencer was able to depict many women where they are most commonly found, that being the home, such as We Both Must Fade, where a young beautiful women is shown, before her beauty and youth fade, her works were inspired by: "the American folk tradition of exaggerated humor and sentimental nostalgia" (Chadwick 214). Hosmer however was a bit more unique in that she lived her life alone, that is to say that she never depended on another individual that being a man or woman for anything. She worked hard to not only attain the fame that she had but also the success that she had. With one of her more well-known works, Zenobia in Chains, she not only depicted a 3rd century queen standing firm as both a queen and a woman despite being captured and tortured but also gained enough recognition herself to own a studio in Rome. Hosmer despite her adversities is a prime example of a strong woman who accomplished so much in her time due to her determination and ambition to get things done and influence change, creating a different role and perhaps paving the way for future women who did not have to conform to the demands of men.

 

Zenobia in Chains, Harriet Hosmer, 1859

The image above depicts a captured queen still remaining firm in her beliefs despite being captured.

 

Works Cited

 

Chadwick, Whitney. Women, Art, and Society. 4th ed. New York, NY: Thames and Hudson, 1990. Print.