WOMEN ARTISTS IN TWENTIETH CENTURY ART HISTORY A SECONDARY SCHOOL FOCUS by MYRA ANNE EADIE B.Ed., The University of British Columbia, 1976 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES Department of Visual and Performing Arts in Education Faculty of Education We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA April, 1983 (c) Myra Anne Eadie, 1983 In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Myra Eadie Department Of Visual and Performing Arts in Education The University of British Columbia 1956 Main Mall Vancouver, Canada V6T 1Y3 Date April, 1983. DE-6 (3/81) ABSTRACT Given the recent emphasis in Art Education on the historical and critical as well as the productive modes, of inquiry, it is important that art educators become aware of past biases and distortions in conventional approaches to Art History and become responsive to'current changes in the art world. In this thesis, the proposal is made that a reconceptualization of Art History in Education is needed to expand the framework of the discipline beyond the narrow structure of conventional approaches to allow for the inquiry into the lives and works of women artists. The expanded model proposed in this thesis encompasses the knowledge, constructs and skills that would enable students to investi• gate the important themes and meanings revealed in the artistic forms of contemporary women artists. A rationale and framework for this expanded approach to critical and historical inquiry is established through a review and analysis of literature. An examination of basic orientations in Art History scholarship and teaching helps to identify the past biases of conven• tional approaches and provides directions for a re-evaluation of art by women. An analysis of the selected views of sociologists, artists, and art educators concerning the function of role models and their relevance to students provides the rationale for a study of contemporary women artists. Finally, a summary of major developments in Aesthetic Educa• tion regarding methods for critical and historical enquiry establishes a framework and methodology for the study of women artists and insures that the content is related to important goals in art education. It is upon this theoretical framework that a model is presented to illuminate one possible open-ended approach to the study of art by women in a cultural and historical context. The first component of this study focuses on the often unique social, economic and political conditions faced by women artists in various times. It is within this historic cultural context that specific works are analyzed, interpreted and evaluated. This context takes into account not only the history of the artists but the needs and interests of the students. The second component of this study provides new strategies for seeing and understanding the ways contemporary women artists have expanded their use of color, form and space to explore a changing self image and a holistic view of nature. Two interrelated themes—interpre• tations of a human reality revealed in images of women and interpreta• tions of the reality of nature through abstraction—are explored to provide new opportunites for cultural and aesthetic awareness. Finally, a unit, designed and implemented by the author, provides the secondary school teacher with a specific approach to teaching about the work and lives of important women artists. In this unit, students are provided with opportunities to discover new role models, to work collectively and individually, and to integrate the critical, historical and productive modes of inquiry in a major project. It is hoped thatmthis investigation the materials will provide a supplement to existing approaches to Art History and Criticism, and will help establish a broad view of our artistic heritage so that men's art history may eventually become human art history. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi Chapter I. INTRODUCTION 1 Art History and the Neglect of Women Artists 1 New Developments in Art Education 6 Importance of the Study . 8 II. WOMEN ARTISTS AS ROLE MODELS - FUNCTION AND AVAILABILITY 14 The Concept of Role Models - Major Considerations . 14 A Sociological View 16 Artists' Views 17 Art Educators' Views 19 Some Biases and Distortions in Art Education 25 Summary and Implications 30 III. A FRAMEWORK FOR THE STUDY OF WOMEN ARTISTS 33 Aesthetic Education - Major Constructs 33 Critical and Historical Methods 36 Sociology, Philosophy and Womens' Studies 42 Design of the Study - Elements and Components .... 45 IV. ART HISTORY AND THE EMERGENCE OF WOMEN ARTISTS .... 54 The Sixteenth to Nineteeth Centuries 56 The Twentieth Century 72 V. EXPLORATION OF IDENTITY IN CONTEMPORARY ART BY WOMEN . 97 Images of Women by Women - Discovery and Reaffirmation 97 iv The Maternal Image - The Domestic Role 103 The Physical Image - A New Sexual Identity 114 The Mythic Image, History and Social Change 121 VI. MOVEMENT TOWARD NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT THROUGH ABSTRACTION 140 New Interpretations of Nature 140 Toward Nature - Early Abstraction in Painting .... 149 Nature and Physicality - Organic Use of Materials . 164 Toward Environment - Sculptures Architecture 171 VII. A CURRICULUM MODEL FOR THE INQUIRY INTO THE LIVES AND WORKS OF CONTEMPORARY WOMEN ARTISTS 182 Introduction: Objectives of the Unit 182 The Problem 187 Approaches to the Study 187 Art Materials and Instructional Materials 188 Activities and Procedures 189 Exhibition and Evaluation 194 Suggestions for Other Activities 198 BIBLIOGRAPHY 200 APPENDIX: A LIST OF AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS ON WOMEN ARTISTS 210. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A number of individuals provided invaluable help in the realization of this thesis. A warm appreciation is extended to members of my thesis committee: in particular to Dr. Rosalie Staley for her continuous support, scholarly guidance, and insights into the work and lives of contemporary women artists, to Mr. Bob Steele for his help in relating the art of women to a broad art historical context, and to Penny Gouldstone for her recognition of the need in Art Education for the study of the lives and work of momen artists. A special thanks is extended to Avis Rosenberg, whose extensive knowledge concerning the history of women artists helped me gain the impetus for this investigation. Gratitude is also extended to Dr. Graeme Chalmers and Dr. James Gray, who recognized the importance of my topic and helped me to see its relationship to some important aspects of Art Education. Grateful thanks is also given to Mrs. Joan Prentice for her patient assistance with the typing. Finally, a warm thanks to John, for his confidence in me and his loving care throughout the preparation iof this work. M.E. vi 1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Art History and the Neglect of Women Artists Until recently, Art History has failed to account for the wide range of art created by women. Basic survey tests, for example, used in most introductory art history courses—Janson's History of Art, Gardner's Art Through the Ages and Gombrich's The Story of Art, fail to include any reproductions of work by women artists. The teaching and study of Art History appear', to operate from a Western European male perspective and it has focused mainly on art works of "key historical significance," i.e., the monuments of Western art by male artists. Unfortunately, art educators have been persuaded to -follow this approach and women artists' contributions have been neglected in the theory and practice of art education. Not only are women artists generally excluded in art history surveys, curriculum materials, reproductions and slides used by art teachers, but they are given little discussion in the most widely read art education texts used in art teacher training programs. As this thesis will show, art education has not been responsive to major developments in the art world and in society and our students have been deprived of a relevant cultural heritage which includes artistic contributions of both men and women. Given the fact that art educators have adopted a view of art history from the perspective of the traditional art historian, we must understand the origins and validity of this approach in the discipline itself. If we perceive a biased perspective we must discover how a bias could develop. This understanding may serve to de-mystify the discip• line of art history and it may indicate why many contemporary art historians have chosen recently to re-interpret our artistic heritage. Finally, these new art historical inquiries help us address and correct this bias , and enable us as art educators to give voice to neglected perspectives of art history. The poor representation of women artists in art history education is a condition that finds one of its origins in a convincing but biased perspective which has, until recently, governed the discipline of art history and the process of historiography. It is acknowledged among historians such as Panofsy (1953) that art historiography is determined, not only by factual evidence but also by a somewhat subjective interpre• tation of that evidence. According to Panofsky (1933), in choosing works of "historical significance" art historians obey, knowingly or not, a principle of "pre-selection" which is dictated by their "cultural equipment," i.e., their values and interests (pp. 1-25). The art, for example, that historians choose not to discuss could reflect their biases in favor of certain artists, groups of artists or styles of art (Feldman, 1980, p.