Presenter: Morning Glory Ritchie – Art History
Faculty Mentor(s): Maile Hutterer
Session: (In-Person) Oral Panel—Herstory Rediscovered, Poster Presentation
Clara Peeters and Judith Leyster were still-life painters prominent during the 17th-century. These still-life genre paintings were of a popular Dutch style which included painting of the interior domestic household and food items. During this era, women faced extreme challenges to receive an art education and to enter the market. Often, these women would have to have a male family member, such as husband or father, be the one to give the art education. These artists have all had a lack of recognition in art historical scholarship, with several of their works misattributed to other male artists of their time. Several 17th-century works created by women were often misattributed to men. Works by female painters were also attributed to their husbands or fathers, as was the case for several works by Judith Leyster who was unknown for almost three centuries. Many still-life works from this period also lack clarity and evidence for attribution leaving many works without name. Several women artists were extremely prominent and successful with their still-life compositions during the 17th-century. Therefore, it is time to start the search for women painters in order to better understand Early Modern culture and the impact of women in the arts. When not much is known about the life of a female artist due to restraints of the women’s role in the domestic household during the 17th-century, their legacy, reputation and contributions to the art world and history eventually fade away.