Chen Shu (1660-1735) was born into an elite family in Jiaxing, China and was the daughter of an artist. This allowed her to study painting as a young girl, despite the mixed feelings about women’s education at the time that kept only a few women of the elite from pursuing an education. Chen Shu studiedContinue reading “Reframing History: Chen Shu 陳書”
Category Archives: gender
Saint and Sinner: The Legacies of Two Byzantine Empresses
The legacies that shape the memory of notable historical figures are passed down through oral and written tradition. Through time and with the storyteller’s bias, these stories and legacies change to create specific memories that stay with the figure and become a part of accepted history. The question becomes how accurate are the legacies andContinue reading “Saint and Sinner: The Legacies of Two Byzantine Empresses”
Judith and Holofernes
This talk is the first of two on Judith and Holofernes scenes and their changing depictions. The second part will be coming later this spring and both will hopefully lead into a new line of research for me!
Exhibition Visit: Sonya Clark: Tatter, Bristle, and Mend
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, access to museums has been extremely limited. As museums reopen, we look forward to sharing our favorite exhibitions from around the Washington DC area and beyond. The National Museum of Women in the Arts recently opened their new exhibition, “Sonya Clark: Tatter, Bristle, and Mend.” This is the first fullContinue reading “Exhibition Visit: Sonya Clark: Tatter, Bristle, and Mend”
Can You Name Five Great Women Artists?
While every month is Women’s History Month at Renaissance Reframed, March is a month for us to contribute our voice to the celebration of Women’s History and reflect upon the important work of scholars, advocates, and organizations who have come before us. We proudly proclaim ourselves as “feminist art historians,” who have dedicated most ofContinue reading “Can You Name Five Great Women Artists?”
The Learned Paintress: Angelica Kauffman’s “Self Portrait of the Painter Hesitating Between Painting and Music” by Claire Sandberg
The development of the historiated portrait allowed artist in the British Royal Academy to create self-portraits rich with allegories and classical influences that reflected the ideal image of the learned artist as described by Sir Joshua Reynolds in his Discourses on Art. Following in Reynolds’ example, British Academicienne Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807) used allegories and classicalContinue reading “The Learned Paintress: Angelica Kauffman’s “Self Portrait of the Painter Hesitating Between Painting and Music” by Claire Sandberg”
Boil and Bubble and Male Trouble: The Visual Representation of Masculine Anxieties in 16th Century Witchcraft Prints by Claire Sandberg
Images of witchcraft have been a major focus for academics studying the Northern Renaissance with significant emphasis placed on the prints’ role in the the widespread witch-hunting and prosecution which took place at the end of the 16th century. Research has made close ties between the works of German artists Albrecht Dürer and Hans BaldungContinue reading “Boil and Bubble and Male Trouble: The Visual Representation of Masculine Anxieties in 16th Century Witchcraft Prints by Claire Sandberg”
The Beauty and the Beast: Caravaggio and Gentileschi’s ‘Judith’ Compared by Claire Sandberg
When analyzing the works of a woman artist, the role of gender is frequently cited as a major influence on the creation of the work yet is rarely considered when conducting research on a work by a male artist. It is important to consider works by men and women with equal analysis and the roleContinue reading “The Beauty and the Beast: Caravaggio and Gentileschi’s ‘Judith’ Compared by Claire Sandberg”
Raphael and the ‘Madonna Lactans’
Raphael’s Niccolini-Cowper Madonna from 1508 (Fig. 1) is typical of Raphael due to its subject as a Madonna and Child image. However, the composition with the Christ Child clinging to Mary’s dress as she covers one of her breasts, looks like a nursing gesture and is reminiscent of Madonna Lactans iconography. The Madonna Lactans isContinue reading “Raphael and the ‘Madonna Lactans’”
Renaissance Reframed 