A Historical Precedent: Women in Print

baldung, groom.jpeg

The Bewitched Groom, Hans Baldung Grien c. 1544.

“Early modern women were fundamentally defined by both sex and fertility in a twisting and self-reflexive construction of age and gender. No better illustrated than by the triad of fertility used to describe the female life course (Maid, Mother, and Widow), this view tied woman to the institution of marriage, and her social and legal identity to her relationship with men.”

Lynn Botelho, “Old women and sex: fear, fantasy, and a defining life course in Early Modern Europe” [1]

This collection seeks to convey the precedent that the historical representation of women conceived in art, and which more contemporary artists sought to break free from. These two works originate from 16th c. Germany, created by printmakers who at the time were exploring the new technologies of mechanical reproduction. Unsurprisingly, both of these works were created by male artists. Women of the time were very rarely artists, the exception being those from wealthy families, nobility, religious figures, or those married to artists. Representations of women at the time were on the whole, created by men.

Let yourself consider how art can capture worldviews, social values, and cultural customs. The demographic of the artist certainly helps inform this historical context for modern viewers. The creation of these prints is situated during the rise of the Protestant Reformation and located in an increasingly conservative environment. The stability of this society was based on a strict moral order of gender roles and normative patriarchal structure. The sole purpose of women at the time, was to fulfill the needs of marriage and procreation. Men sought to control and maintain this social hierarchy.

Male artists were then furnished with the ability to persuade through visual imagery, and the technology to reproduce and disseminate artwork to a wide audience. Fear of a crumbling social order, and fear of “unruly women” motivated many male artists to create art as a sort of political declaration of patriarchal superiority. The imagery of the witch, and her associated infanticide, emasculation and overt sexuality, was meant to terrify the broad masses of men who consumed the print media. The message from these prints were clear: women who subvert the traditional domestic role are a danger to society and the values we hold dear. The imagery of witchcraft became widespread, using fear as a controlling tactic, forcing women to succumb to German social structure.

The artistic representation of women is constantly being reimagined. Every time a woman takes a photograph of herself or paints a self portrait, she is participating in this continuous trek towards a just representation in media and in art. When looking at the rest of the exhibit, consider how this journey has developed. How does the artist’s worldview affect their representation of women? How does the representation of women change over space and time? And how are these artistic representations of women related to our power in society?

Click on each image below to explore the gallery, or click here to see all the items on a single page with short descriptions.