Clark Art Institute , Williamstown, MA
June 9 – September 3, 2018
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| ECHO, by Ellen Thesleff (1891) Oil On Canvas, Photo by Kjell Soderlund Courtesy American Federation of Arts |
The Clark Art Institute’s summer 2018 exhibition, Women
Artists in Paris, 1850–1900, celebrates an international group of artists who
overcame gender-based restrictions to make extraordinary creative strides,
taking important steps in the fight for a more egalitarian art world. Featuring
nearly 70 paintings drawn from prominent collections across the United States
and abroad, the exhibition includes works by renowned artists including Berthe
Morisot, Mary Cassatt, and Rosa Bonheur as numerous equally remarkable peers.
Women Artists in Paris, 1850–1900 was organized by the American Federation of
Arts and curated by Laurence Madeline.
Paris was a cultural mecca, luring artists from around the
world to its academies, museums, salons, and galleries. Despite the city’s
cosmopolitan character, gender norms remained strikingly conservative and women
painters faced obstacles. Women painters in the 19th century engaged in
portraiture, shaping an image of themselves as serious artists. Social
restrictions hindered women’s full participation in artistic circles.
The perception of childhood evolved as an important stage in
the formation of healthy adults, and children were celebrated as the future of
a family’s line. This new attention lavished on children coincided with the
burgeoning aspirations of women artists. These painters produced images that
poignantly celebrate the wonder of childhood and the profound nature of
motherhood. Mary Cassatt specialized in maternal scenes and portraits of
children.
In a lecture on June 10 at 3:00 pm, curator Esther Bell will
speak about the achievements of the artists represented in the exhibition. A
conversation with Laurence Madeline, Chief Curator for French National
Heritage, and curator of Women Artists in Paris, follows.
The Clark Art Institute is one of a small number of
institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research,
critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. For more
information on these programs and more, visit www.clarkart.edu or call 413-458-2303.
