TAS Kington Langley First lecture of 2024-2025 Season Women Artists in Britain 1520-1920, Dr Amy Lim

Our first lecture of the season was given by Dr Amy Lim, a researcher on the exhibition “Now You See Us: Women Artists in Britain, 1520–1920’ which ran at Tate Britain until 13th October 2024. The exhibition showed the work of over 100 women artists who battled against societies expectations to become professional artists. 

Despite there being 2 women artists (Angelica Kauffman and Mary Moser) among the founding members of the Royal Academy women were denied access to the art school until 1860. In that year Laura Herford gained admission when she successfully submitted an application using only her initials. By the time her gender was discovered the council could not find a way to prevent her taking up the place she had been offered. In 1863 women were again excluded and were not readmitted until 1867. Having gained access to the art school women then had to fight to access the full curriculum. Women were excluded from Life classes where men learned anatomy and the skills to paint multifigure compositions. Joseph Zoffany’s painting “the Portraits of Academicians of the Royal Academy” is set in a life class and therefore he could not paint Kauffman and Moser among other academicians instead he represented their presence by two portraits. The lack of training in anatomy meant most women artists were confined to painting landscape scenes portraits and still life, considered the lesser and easier genres. 

Being a successful artist is much more than having the ability to make a painting, it had to be seen, reviewed and sold. Artists needed patrons to help promote their reputations. The work of women artists was accepted for display at the RA exhibitions but was often “skyed” that is hung so high that it was difficult to see. The very idea that women could be artists was hotly debated by John Ruskin and other critics. By the last decades of the 19th century the remaining barriers began to break down. In 1890 Anna Lea Merritt’s “Love Locked Out” was the first painting by a woman to be acquired for the nation. Allocated to The Tate Gallery it was the first work by a woman in its collection. 

Amy then gave an overview of some of the work and the artists represented in the exhibition. Angelica Kauffman was a well-known artist when she arrived in London. In the late 1770’s she was commissioned by The RA to paint a set of four ceiling paintings, the “Elements of Art” each represented in female form. 

Mary Beal was the first woman professional portrait painter and became the main financial provider for her family. She married Charles Beale in 1652, and they worked as business partners throughout their marriage.

Rosa Bonheur specialised in animal painting, she was represented by Ernest Gambart who brought her to UK and purchased the reproduction rights to her work and many engravings were created from her work.  A portrait of her was painted by Eduard Dubufe but Bonheur insisted on painting the bull, which some critics deemed the best part of the painting.

Elizabeth Butler’s “The Roll Call”, praised by John Ruskin, was shown in 1874 and became so popular that a policeman was needed to control the crowds.

I have run out of space, but Amy also talked about Henrietta Rae, Helen Allingham and Anna Swynnerton the first elected woman member of the Royal Academy in 1922.

Before the lecture we had tea and coffee in our café and new members were able to meet each other and mingle with committee members.

Following the lecture, we held our now normal buffet lunch for all the members who attended the lecture. We enjoyed catching up with returning members to discuss the holidays and how time flies and meet our new members.

It is always a pleasure to meet people who have decided to join us. We had the added pleasure of two visitors who had joined us as guests for the lecture deciding that they were going to become members as well.

We also had our best ever complement of zoom guests this month as Amy was obviously a great draw. Zoom bookings are also coming in thick and fast for ‘Pugin’ in November and a ‘Short History of Wine’ in December. WE must thank Geoff our programme secretary for compiling an interesting programme of lecturers.

Have a look at our upcoming lectures on  www.taskl.org.uk and zoom in!

Lindi Reynolds