Priya Kapoor
Impressionism emerged in France during the second half of the nineteenth century. The Impressionist style was well-suited for women artists as it focused on quotidian subject matter and used small-sized canvases with portable easels and paint. Impressionism was one of the first art movements to include a woman, Berthe Morisot, as a founding member. Morisot, along with Mary Cassatt and Marie Bracquemond, were referred to as the Three Great Ladies of the movement. While Impressionism legitimized domestic social life as a subject matter, it also tended to limit women artists to that subject matter. Women Impressionists were conscious of the balance of power between women and objects in their paintings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Impressionist painters' focus on subject matter | Contemporary life, landscapes, and quotidian subjects |
| Gender of painters | Male painters included Monet, Renoir, Sisley, Degas, Manet, and Pissarro |
| Female painters included Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, Marie Bracquemond, Cecilia Beaux, Lilla Cabot Perry, Louise Catherine Breslau, and Eva Gonzalès | |
| Impressionist painters' techniques | Short "broken" brush strokes, use of pure and mixed unblended colours, capturing the effects of natural light, and painting en plein air |
| Impressionist painters' subjects | Women, ballet dancers, and cafe scenes |
| Women Impressionists' subjects | Domestic interiors, portraits of women, motherhood, and family |
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What You'll Learn
Female Impressionists' societal conditions
Impressionism emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century, at a time when the Académie des Beaux-Arts largely dictated the content and style of French art. The Académie favoured traditional values and conventions and was quick to dismiss Impressionist painters due to their disinterest in realism and detailed accuracy. The Impressionists, including female artists, were interested in perception over description, preferring landscapes to historical scenes and contemporary life to mythology.
Female Impressionists faced many social and career limitations compared to their male counterparts. They were excluded from the imagery of the bourgeois social sphere of the boulevard, cafe, and dance hall, as well as the formative discussions that took place in these spaces. In the academic realm, women were believed to be incapable of handling complex subjects, so teachers restricted what they taught female students. It was also considered "unladylike" to excel in art, as women's talents were believed to centre on homemaking and mothering. Many female Impressionists were discouraged by their husbands, who prioritised their domestic duties over their artistic careers.
Despite these challenges, several women found success during their lifetime. Mary Cassatt, for example, settled in Paris in 1874, where she regularly showed her portraits in the Salon. In 1877, Edgar Degas invited her to exhibit with the Impressionists, and she participated in four of the eight exhibitions. Berthe Morisot, the best-known female Impressionist, was the only woman invited to show at the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874, and she went on to participate in seven of the eight exhibitions. Eva Gonzalès, a close friend of Morisot, was also a successful female Impressionist, though she never exhibited with the group.
The focus on quotidian subject matter in Impressionism helped open the door for female artists. Women had traditionally been prevented from attempting history painting, as the requisite knowledge of human anatomy was considered too ambitious for a woman. Instead, they were pushed towards painting less formal works illustrating daily life, a theme that became synonymous with the Impressionists. Female Impressionists often depicted domestic interiors, portraying women interacting with their environment through their gaze or movement. They were conscious of the balance of power between women and objects in their paintings – the bourgeois women depicted are not defined by decorative objects but instead interact with and dominate the things with which they live.
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Male voyeurism in Impressionism
The portrayal of women in Impressionist paintings often reflected the gender dynamics of the time. Women were often depicted in domestic settings, reflecting the social expectations of the time for women of a certain class to stay at home and focus on family and homemaking. While Impressionism legitimized the domestic social life as a subject matter, of which women had intimate knowledge, it also tended to limit women artists to that subject matter. The female form was a recurrent subject for male Impressionists, and their paintings have been characterized as voyeuristic, reflecting the power dynamics between men and women.
Male Impressionists often depicted women in domestic settings, such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir's "Luncheon of the Boating Party" (1880-81), which portrays a group of people at a luncheon, with implied relationships between the subjects. Of the five female characters, only two are not staring at a man, and the painting has been interpreted as reflecting the vision men had of their female contemporaries and the dynamics between the genders. Another example is Edouard Manet's "Au Bal – Marguerite de Conflans en Toilette de Bal" (1870-80), which depicts a woman at a ballroom dance through the eyes of a male voyeur, perhaps choosing a partner for marriage.
The female Impressionists, on the other hand, were conscious of the balance of power between women and objects in their paintings. Berthe Morisot, for example, depicted the social confines for women in paintings like "In the Dining Room" (1886), which shows a maid neatly dressed and ready to serve within the limitations of her domestic domain. Mary Cassatt, another prominent female Impressionist, portrayed how upper-middle-class women spent their time, focusing on their interactions with their environment rather than objectifying them.
The distinction between the male and female gaze in Impressionist paintings is notable, with male artists often positioning themselves as voyeurs, sexualizing and objectifying female subjects, while female artists were more aware of the power dynamics and sought to avoid objectification and cliché in their work. This distinction reflects the historical norms of masculinity and the power dynamics between men and women during the time of the Impressionist movement.
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Women's domestic interiors
Women Impressionist painters were few, with only five participating in the entire sequence of eight Impressionist exhibitions, two of whom used pseudonyms and only participated once. However, they made invaluable contributions to the art world, capturing the essence of fleeting moments, light, and colour through their works. They defied societal norms to pursue their passion for art, creating a lasting legacy that deserves recognition.
Berthe Morisot was one such artist. She explored Impressionist themes of modernity: the intimacy of contemporary bourgeois living and family life, the taste for resorts and gardens, the importance of fashion, and women’s domestic work. Morisot's works are characterised by loose, rapid brush strokes, accentuating the flat surface of the canvas. She often depicted women at all stages of life, from childhood and adolescence to pregnancy and motherhood. One of her most famous works, "The Cradle" (1872), portrays her sister Edma, gazing at her own infant daughter with tenderness and maternal love. Morisot also painted working women, such as cooks, maids, and servants employed by upper-middle-class households. She was fascinated by transitional areas of domestic interiors, such as verandas and balconies. Morisot's works often had a deliberately unfinished appearance, addressing the temporality of representation and attempting to "fix something of the passing moment."
Another notable female Impressionist was Eva Gonzalès, who was part of Édouard Manet's studio and his only formal student. Gonzalès preferred the recognition that came with exhibiting at prestigious and traditional salons rather than showing with the Impressionists. Her body of work includes portraits and interior scenes.
Mary Cassatt, an American painter, was one of only three women to exhibit with the French Impressionists. She was celebrated for her compelling portrayals of mothers and children, capturing the everyday moments of domestic life. Cassatt's work was instrumental in challenging conventional gender roles and reshaping the depiction of women in art. She used pastel colours and loose brushwork to highlight the quiet intimacy of domestic moments.
Female Impressionists offered a different, probably more accurate perspective on the matter. They focused on domestic interiors, portraits of women, and motherhood, providing a glimpse into the lives of women during that era.
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Female Impressionists' motherhood
Female Impressionist painters were often restricted to domestic social life as a subject matter, and their paintings often depicted women interacting with their environment. While marriage and motherhood were considered incompatible with a career in painting, female Impressionists like Mary Cassatt, Berthe Morisot, Eva Gonzalès, and Marie Bracquemond found success during their lifetimes. They are often referred to as the "Women Impressionists".
Mary Cassatt
Mary Cassatt, an American expatriate in Paris, is known for her portraits of mothers and children, depicting the intimate world of social interactions and the close relationships between adults and children. She rejected the idea of becoming a wife and mother and embraced her independence, supporting herself as a successful portrait artist and printmaker. Cassatt's paintings often featured children painted naked, as she believed they symbolized purity, goodness, and genuineness. Her paintings of mothers and children include "The Child's Bath" (1893), "Young Mother Sewing" (1900), and "The Boating Party".
Berthe Morisot
Berthe Morisot, the best-known female Impressionist, is recognized for her compelling portraits and poignant landscapes. She is known for her bold, expressive brushwork, emphasizing expressivity over naturalism. Morisot's paintings often featured her daughter Julie, who was her favorite model. One of her notable paintings is "The Cradle" (1872), which immortalized her sister Edma in her first days as a mother.
Eva Gonzalès and Marie Bracquemond
Eva Gonzalès and Marie Bracquemond were also part of the Impressionist circle, but their careers were cut short due to personal circumstances. Gonzalès is known for her characteristic style of portraiture, while Bracquemond's husband was resentful of her work, causing her to give up painting.
In conclusion, female Impressionists challenged societal norms and constraints placed on women in 19th-century France by producing introspective works that dealt with their societal conditions. They offered a different perspective on motherhood and domestic life, often depicting women as "subjects, not objects". Their innovative styles and contributions to Impressionism have been recognized and showcased in exhibitions celebrating Women Impressionists.
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Women's participation in Impressionist exhibitions
The Impressionist movement emerged in France during the second half of the nineteenth century. It was during this time that the Académie des Beaux-Arts largely dictated the content and style of French art. The Académie favoured traditional values and conventions and was quick to dismiss Impressionist painters due to their disinterest in realism and detailed accuracy. Instead, Impressionists were more interested in perception than description, preferring landscapes to historical scenes and contemporary life to mythology.
The Impressionists' style, with its loose, spontaneous brushstrokes, bold colours, and emphasis on the play of natural light, was uniquely suited to women painters. This was because women were encouraged to develop interests in pursuits like painting, which could be practised in the company of other women. However, the male-dominated Impressionist movement generally excluded women. Berthe Morisot, for example, was unable to venture alone to the bars, cafes, and theatres that were the bread-and-butter subjects of her male colleagues. As a result, she and other women painters of the time, such as Mary Cassatt, Eva Gonzalès, and Marie Bracquemond, focused on domestic interiors, portraits of women, and motherhood.
Despite the obstacles they faced, several women Impressionists were able to find success during their lifetimes. Berthe Morisot, for instance, participated in seven of the eight Impressionist exhibitions that took place in Paris from 1874 to 1886 and was one of the most prolific members of the Impressionist circle. Mary Cassatt, the only American member of the Impressionist circle, participated in four of these exhibitions. Marie Bracquemond, who was largely self-taught, exhibited three times with the Impressionists. Eva Gonzalès did not participate in any of the exhibitions.
The four women Impressionists were often treated with critical ambivalence and lacked major public exhibitions. Critics viewing their works at the exhibitions often attempted to acknowledge the women artists' talents but circumscribed them within a limited notion of femininity. It wasn't until Tamar Garb's "Women Impressionists", published in 1986, that the four women artists and other lesser-known women Impressionists were included in art historical textbooks covering Impressionist artists.
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Frequently asked questions
Women in Impressionist paintings are often depicted in domestic settings, interacting with their environment. They are shown engaging in commonplace activities such as sewing, drinking tea, or caring for children. The female form is one of the most recurrent subjects in Impressionist art.
The Impressionist movement focused on quotidian subject matter, such as contemporary life in Paris, rather than historical or heroic themes. This shift opened the door for female artists, as women had traditionally been excluded from history painting due to its emphasis on human anatomy. Impressionists also used smaller canvases and portable easels, allowing women to work quickly and within their daily environments.
Male Impressionists often portrayed women in indoor scenes, such as cafes and theatres, through the lens of male voyeurism. Female Impressionists, on the other hand, offered a different perspective by painting women in domestic interiors, exploring themes of motherhood and female relationships. They consciously avoided objectifying their predominantly female subjects.
Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, Marie Bracquemond, and Eva Gonzalès are often referred to as the "Women Impressionists". Other notable female Impressionists include Cecilia Beaux, Lilla Cabot Perry, Louise Catherine Breslau, and Philadelphia. These women faced societal constraints and were often undervalued or ignored, but they made significant contributions to the movement.
