Article Review: Why Have There Been No Great Female Artists?

The article "Why Have There Been No Great Female Artists?" was written by Linda Nochlin, a well-known American art historian. As I read through it, it became clear that it dives into the history and theory of feminist art. Linda starts off by saying she wants to take a different feminist approach from recent movements. Most of her argument is built on appealing to the reader's emotions and digging into historical evidence.

Examining Female Artists in Modern Society

Linda kicks off by pointing out some big issues women face today. She says we shouldn't judge women but instead, look at how female artists have been seen throughout history (Nochlin and Linda 54). She also touches on the almost religious beginnings of artists up until the 19th Century.

Stereotypical Roles and Expectations of Women

You'll always find famous artists with these sentimental success stories, folks who climbed out of poverty and made it big (Nochlin and Linda 43). Linda also talks about the typical roles women had, especially in upper-class circles. She says that the expectations placed on women didn't leave them enough time to practice and grow as artists.

Equality Between Female and Male Artists

Linda also challenges the idea that female artists are somehow different from male artists. This idea seems outdated now because we know there are plenty of amazing women in art, music, acting, and so on. Think about historical women writers like Sylvia Plath, whose work can hold its own against male writers of her time (Parker, Rozsika and Griselda 98). In this and many other cases, women artists can totally be compared to men in their respective fields.

Lack of Opportunities for Women in Art

Linda Nochlin also points out that the reason there haven't been many great women in art is because of the lack of opportunities. It's wrong to say that art is any different from other jobs that need good prospects and training (Haynes, Rachael, and Courtney 76). Historically, art schools haven't been as welcoming to women as they are to men. Most new artists in the past were men. It's also worth noting that only men in the family could learn art, and art schools only accepted male students. From the article, you'll see that women who could train in art came from very wealthy families. These women could only study art as a hobby, not as a serious career.

The Impact of Training Opportunities

According to Linda Nochlin, the lack of training opportunities is why there are no great female artists. Women couldn't learn the language of art or its evolution in the past. But now, with new technology, anyone can become an artist, and we've seen more women rising in the industry. To really get feminist art, you have to understand the historical context it came from.