Girls Draw, Boys Paint (and become famous)?

Question

Have you ever noticed that the majority of famous (and dead) artists are men? Theres Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gough, Picasso, M. C. Esher, Alexander Calder, etc, etc... In fact I can only remember one artist who was a women. But girls can draw better than boys and liked Art better than most (in my knowledge). So why so few female artists are known?

Answer 1

Well it's only recently that women started getting recognized for what they do. A hundred years ago if a woman could find the time and resources to develop her talent between taking care of her family no one would look at her work anyway because she was a woman.
Do more research on this, you will find there are actually many female artists. And gender has nothing to do with talent, what do you base that on?

Answer 2

Based on what? the artists you reference are all, granted, very dead, and outside of Calder (who was a sculptor, not a painter) and Escher (who dealt mainly in woodcuts, pen and ink, and pencil), the others are absolute icons. Check Georgia O'Keefe for a superfamous female painter. Berthe Marisot was big in the French Impressionism circle. Rosalba Carriera was a famous portrait and miniature artist in the late 17th and early 18th century in Italy. There are plenty women to fill the "known" part of your question--what's a bit shaky is your assertion that "girls can draw better than boys." I'll finish with the same words I started with: Based on what?

Answer 3

Historically there has been a defeceit of women practicing studio arts perhaps with the exception of fine-art photography where women are represented almost equally with men. This does not in any way suggest that women are inferior to men in art practices, but does suggest historical social paradigms of how both western cultures regarded art practices as a male endeavor. If you look at the old academy systems in Europe, women were simply not allowed to matriculate into such programs. Such is not true today, as women are quite visible within the halls of many art institutions, and there are a plethora of notable women today who are contributing to modern art movements . Just pick up a copy of artweek and you will see what I mean. To answer your question, why are there so few notable female artists.....to begin you need to delve deeper into art history, and not just rennaisance and impressionist as most people seem to gravitate towards. Actually there are quite a few notable female artists, it is just a majority of them can be found if one studies contemporary art of the 20th and 21st century.

Answer 4

Maybe because it a men world. Remember women could not vote when my Grandmother was 20 years of age. When I watch sport about 70% on t.v is mens sports.

I paint with many artist in a studio in brisbane. We have more females then males artists

Answer 5

Historically speaking there are many reasons why you see fewer woman artists, same reasons you don't see many women figures in all historic aspects. 20th century saw the beginning of a change. Frida Kahlo, Lee Kraser, Georgia O'keefe, Barbara Kruger, Cindy Sherman, I could go on and on, but, if you want to do some research they would be good starting points.

Answer 6

First of all, where the crap are you geting this whole "girls can draw better than guys" stuff?! I suck at painting but I am awesome at drawing. How do you explain that? And there are famous female artists out there. Do a little research. You'll see.

Answer 7

I think that's because women were not supposed to do much 'cept get married, raise kids, etc. Even men were not barely painters as it was rare for many artists to make any money.

Answer 8

i actually go to Art school, its a little more guy heavy. i'd say 65%guys, 35% female. There are lots of girls that are good, better? can you name any girl as good asDs Vinci, heck even in comic books its male dominated.

Answer 9

The Monalisa was all woman

Answer 10

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Women_in_art

Wow, kinda proves you wrong...