The Renaissance period was dominated by famous artists like Caravaggio, Alberti, and Leonardo da Vinci.  From this golden age of painting, women were often the subjects of masterpieces.  They were considered marvels of nature, existing for their beauty and virtue.  Women were regarded as sources of inspiration, objects to look at, rather than intellects and creators themselves.  In the sixteenth century, male artists often sexualized their female sitters.  It was not unusual for the portrait to look nothing like the woman it was meant to portray; instead it was an idealized image that combined the most beautiful features of the most beautiful women. 

 

Although less common and less acclaimed, female painters also existed at this time.   During the Renaissance, female artists like Sofonisba Anguissola and Élisabeth-Louise Vigée-Lebrun were forced to master technique, matching, if not surpassing the skills of men, to even be looked at.  These artists tended to focus on the same subjects as their male counterparts, often times women.  Many painted self-portraits as well, as a form of self-promotion; some conformed to the established portrayal of women, while others made bolder statements, criticizing the patriarchal dominance in art.   Yet regardless of whether the painting was of oneself or someone else, the works tended to have greater depth, showing the character that existed beyond the sitter’s beauty. 

 

This exhibition highlights these differences while also taking into consideration the agency of the sitter.  What say did she have in the message behind the painting?  How does this message change when a man is painting versus a woman?  Who is the woman beyond the beauty?