Tracing the development of sexism through the historical discredit of female artists

From Paleolithic cave paintings to Baroque Florence’s Artemisia Gentileschi, scholars have uncovered many cases in which women’s art was credited to their male contemporaries. This reoccurring dynamic communicates a cultural attitude of explicit disbelief in female abilities known as classical sexism. Even today, this trend persists as female artists’ work is continually dismissed as derivative of, dependent on, or simply less valuable than men’s. What can the art world tell us about the narrative arc of sexism? I will present case studies of marginalized female artists to illustrate the evolution of sexism in Western culture. Lee Krasner faced hostile degradation with accusations of her work being mere imitation of her more famous partner, Jackson Pollock. Benevolent paternalism is evident in Margaret Keane’s story in which her husband took credit for her portraits to “protect” her from reality. The feminist revolution is young, and there is still progress to be made. (150)