Violence against women in the work of women artists 1

A number of women artists ranging from 17th century Artemisia Gentileschi to 21st century Kiki Smith have depicted violence against women. Leering looks, rape, and wife beating, are the subject matter of their works. Works by Gentileschi, Bernini, Poussin, Rubens, Kahlo, Abramović, Mendieta, Goldin, Williams, Smith, Chicago, Walker, and Sulkowicz are discussed. In previous centuries, violence against women was masked by color, beautiful landscape, sumptuous clothing and skin tones, enabling the viewer to not have to consider the subject matter. Contemporary work, by contrast, is more raw, more concrete, and impossible to avoid. These artists have a political statement on the status of women to make.