This document discusses the challenges that women artists have faced in having their work and contributions recognized in the Western art canon. It notes that since women were not considered capable of genius, art history has often subsumed women's work under male artists. It examines how several female artists such as Christine de Pisan, Marietta Robusti, Judith Leyster, and Edmonia Lewis struggled for recognition in the male-dominated field. The Guerrilla Girls point out both the underlying sexism and racism that has kept many talented women and non-white artists invisible throughout art history.

1. Art History and the Woman ArtistWhitney Chadwick Supplemented by Guerrilla Girls’ Bedside Companion Chapters 1—5

2. The Guerrilla Girls, 1989 “Since women were not credited with artistic genius, an art history committed to proving male genius can only subsume women’s contributions under those of men.”—Chadwick 18

3. “The Western canon, the set of rules against which all must measure up begins with classicism” (Guerrilla Girls 11). What is a canon? How does it fit in to your definition of art? What is the role of women’s studies and the canon? Temple of Apollo 580-540 BC

4. Boccaccio vs. Christine de Pisan Boccaccio— Manuscripts--France--15th C. A.D Christine writes her manuscript Manuscripts--France--15th C. A.D

5. “The historical texts need constant rereading as we attempt to understand better the problematic of femininity and the role of images in the social production of meaning. … writing about art has confused the issue of women artists by inscribing social constructions of femininity on them”

6. Christine de Pisan— “how can women’s lives be known when men write all the books?” (30)

7. Joseph and Potiphar'sWifeProperziadi Rossi 1491-1530 “A lovely picture, sculpted with womanly grace and more than admirable”—Vasari 1568 What sort of gendered language did Vasari use to describe women’s art? What cultural norms were women artists expected to adhere to, according to Chadwick?

8. Marietta Robusti Portrait of an Old Man With Boy c. 1585 Why is this the only work attributed to Robusti?

9. Judith Leyster Merry Company (The Happy Couple) 1630 Laughing Youth with Wine Glass (The Jolly Toper) 1629

10. Constance Marie Charpentier Portrait of Mme Charlotte du Val d’Ognes c. 1801 ARTnewsissue where Linda Nochlin’s article first appeared

11. The Death of Cleopatra, Edmonia Lewis 1876 The Guerrilla Girls point towards more than just sexism in the art world, they also try to call out the underlying racism that keeps non-white artists largely invisible.

12. Imogen Cunningham Magnolia Bud, 1929 Triangles, 1928

13. Why haven’t there been more great women artists throughout Western History? Why haven’t more women been considered great artists throughout Western history? Guerrilla Girls’ Bedside Companion 7