Women Artists in Focus
Courageous, Strong and Unstoppable
“Freedom is not something you are given, but something you have to take.” This statement was uttered by Meret Oppenheim (1913–1985) during a speech given in 1975, in which she highlighted the still difficult situation of women artists.
Social conventions and discrimination, such as the traditional distribution of roles, family constraints, verbal defamation, the denial of creative abilities, a lack of training opportunities and other economic factors meant that the art sector was dominated by men until well into the second half of the 20th century. Despite all this animosity and resistance, there were numerous courageous and emancipated women throughout the centuries, who were determined to fight for their art even under these difficult circumstances.
The gradual exploration and (re-)discovery of women artists since the 1980s clearly shows to what an extent female art production has previously been ignored in art historiography. This perspective needs to be changed.
The Collection of the Leopold Museum includes works by female exponents of Austrian Atmospheric Impressionism, such as Tina Blau (1845–1916), Olga Wiesinger-Florian (1844–1926) and Marie Egner (1850–1940), as well as by artists working for the Wiener Werkstätte, including Maria Likarz-Strauss (1893–1971), Jutta Sika (1877–1964) and Vally Wieselthier (1895–1945). The museum collection further features works by representatives of Viennese Modernism, among them Emilie Mediz-Pelikan (1861–1908), Helene Funke (1869–1957) and Broncia Koller-Pinell (1863–1934). Moreover, the designer Emilie Flöge (1874–1952) made a lasting impact on Viennese fashion with her fashion salon founded in 1904; her promotion of the reform dress and her exceptional designs helped women free themselves from clothing constraints.
Last but not least, Viennese Kineticism provided an autonomous contribution to inter-war avant-garde art, which, thanks to its protagonists Erika Giovanna Klien (1900–1957), Elisabeth Karlinsky (1904–1994) and My Ullmann (1905–1995), was largely influenced by women. The former features in the collection with three eminent permanent loans.
Social conventions and discrimination, such as the traditional distribution of roles, family constraints, verbal defamation, the denial of creative abilities, a lack of training opportunities and other economic factors meant that the art sector was dominated by men until well into the second half of the 20th century. Despite all this animosity and resistance, there were numerous courageous and emancipated women throughout the centuries, who were determined to fight for their art even under these difficult circumstances.
The gradual exploration and (re-)discovery of women artists since the 1980s clearly shows to what an extent female art production has previously been ignored in art historiography. This perspective needs to be changed.
The Collection of the Leopold Museum includes works by female exponents of Austrian Atmospheric Impressionism, such as Tina Blau (1845–1916), Olga Wiesinger-Florian (1844–1926) and Marie Egner (1850–1940), as well as by artists working for the Wiener Werkstätte, including Maria Likarz-Strauss (1893–1971), Jutta Sika (1877–1964) and Vally Wieselthier (1895–1945). The museum collection further features works by representatives of Viennese Modernism, among them Emilie Mediz-Pelikan (1861–1908), Helene Funke (1869–1957) and Broncia Koller-Pinell (1863–1934). Moreover, the designer Emilie Flöge (1874–1952) made a lasting impact on Viennese fashion with her fashion salon founded in 1904; her promotion of the reform dress and her exceptional designs helped women free themselves from clothing constraints.
Last but not least, Viennese Kineticism provided an autonomous contribution to inter-war avant-garde art, which, thanks to its protagonists Erika Giovanna Klien (1900–1957), Elisabeth Karlinsky (1904–1994) and My Ullmann (1905–1995), was largely influenced by women. The former features in the collection with three eminent permanent loans.