A World of Our Own: Women Artists Against the Odds

Women have always practiced as artists, but for centuries the art world considered them mere dilettantes. Their work was derided as second-rate, and they were considered intruders in a male profession. This study examines how, against the odds, they overcame these difficulties and shifts the focus away from women artists as “victims” to give an account of how they actually practiced their art. This stirring account documents the centuries- long struggle of gifted women who confronted the exclusionary tactics of a male-dominated art establishment but pressed ahead undaunted to gain acceptance as sought-after professionals. Art historian Frances Borzello takes readers deep into the restricted world of women artists of the past, showing how diligently they trained themselves, set up studios, and pursued sympathetic patrons. Starting with Renaissance painters Sofonisba Anguissola and Lavinia Fontana, the book reconstructs the changing world of women artists as social attitudes evolved. Sev