Women Artists: An Illustrated History

The revised and updated fifth edition of the classic and indispensable history of women artists from the Renaissance to the present In this fifth edition of her best-selling survey, Nancy Heller incorporates the most recent discoveries about the women artists of the past―and carries the story forward into the twenty-first century, with the evocative, sometimes provocative work of artists like Pilar Albarracín, Liza Lou, and Julie Mehretu. This abundantly illustrated volume chronicles five centuries of women painters and sculptors, from Sofonisba Anguissola to Wendy Red Star. Nancy Heller’s text looks unflinchingly at the obstacles that women encountered, such as restricted access to education and apprenticeship, social pressures to marry and mother, and limited opportunities to travel and exhibit. But, at the same time, she emphasizes the ingenious ways in which generations of women artists circumvented these obstacles to establish themselves as well-respected professionals.