HEDY MAG ISSUE 1

men. The main reason was that art schools
required their students to produce drawings
of live nude male models: it was considered
this was not morally appropriate for
women. But in 1871 the “Rijksakademie”
of Fine Arts, as one of the first art academies
in Europe, allowed female students. A
woman who wanted to build a professional
practice in the 19th century had to combine
her artistic practice with social expectations.
In the first place she had to be a dedicated
wife and mother. As this combination
was not easy, many female artists married
late or not at all, and many also remained
childless. These women artists needed perseverance
to compete and keep up with
the prevailing standards of the art establishment.
Exhibitions of masters organized
annually between 1808-1917 in various cities
in the Netherlands formed the gateway
to the world of art for female artists. Only
towards the end of the century art buyers,
dealers and museums were often in personal
contact with them. Being a professional,
commercial artist revealed a possibility for
a woman to provide for a part of her own
livelihood. Although in recent years female
artists have been exposed through publications
and exhibitions,most female painters
were forgotten. The problem of their neglected
position in the art world is occasionally
touched, but a comprehensive study
of the position and development of Dutch
female artists is still missing! I will introduce
you to four Dutch female painters and
their beautiful work – hopefully they will
NOT be forgotten. And I leave you readers
to decide whether theirs is art or not.
1 Maria Van Oisterwijck - VANITAS STILL LIFE
2 Rachel Ruysch - FRUITS AND INSECTS
3 Judith Leyster - FLOWERS IN A VASE
4 Annie Caroline Toorop - PORTRET VAN DE DRIE
KINDEREN JELGERSMA
WORDS BY LEONIE VERMEER
HEDY 29