Olga Boznańska. Japanese self-portrait. 1892.
Photo: Public domain Wikimedia Commons. National Museum Wrocław, Poland

In ages past, women have always had a hard path towards even becoming an artist, much less being recognized as one. By late 1500, some of them, like an Italian painter Sofonisba Anguissola, have achieved enough recognition to live as a professional, commissioned artist. However, even some as famous as Sofonisba (Anthony van Dyck sought her advice when he visited her), her gender was a reason that she was soon forgotten after her passing. Only in the late 20th century some of the most famous portraits of the Spanish royal family have been re-attributed to her.

Till this day, museums have relatively small collections of art by women, often dispersed, not exhibited regularly, sometimes mis-attributed, and not much understood. Sometimes just learning about their biographies makes us re-evaluate their creations but since female artists are less known, it takes some searching to learn about them.

In our virtual museum of “Women & Art,” we seek to spotlight some of our favorite the female painters or sculptors, or report about exhibitions dedicated to women in arts.

Food for the Soul: Guo Pei Exhibition – San Francisco

 Food for the Soul: Women Art Exhibitions—Venice and Paris – Women & Art Series 17

 Women Who Gave Us van Gogh – Women & Art Series 16

The Neglected Art of Pastels – Rosalba Carriera – Women & Art Series 15

Isabella Stewart Gardner – Women & Art Series 14

   Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney

   Georgia O’Keeffe

   Magdalena Abakanowicz

   Rosa Bonheur

   Barbara Hepworth

   Julie Mehretu. Women Artists Series 8

    Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun – Women Artists Series 7

   Olga Boznańska. Women Artists Series 6

   Hilma af Klint, the first abstractionist. Women Artists Series 5

   Women at Work, Part V – Princesses and Servants

   Women at Work Part IV – The Toil

   Women at Work Part II – Out In the World

   Women at Work Part II – At Home

   Women at Work Part I – Masterpieces

   Artemisia Gentileschi – Women Artists Series 4

   Frida Kahlo – Women Artists Series 3

   Women at Prado – Women Artists Series 2

   Berthe Morisot – Women Artists series 1