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Female Artists in History
Historically men have dominated many fields, including art. Many of the most famous painters we easily recognize are men. That doesn’t mean there were not women contributing to the art world, they just didn’t get as much recognition as their male counterparts. Here at OverstockArt, we are trying to bring some of these amazing female artists the attention that they deserve. Here are some of the wonderful female painters in history and a sampling of their art. 
Amelie Beaury-Saurel
Barcelona-born French painter Amélie Beaury-Saurel rose to prominence during the 19th century as a striking artist focused on portraiture. The artistic career of Beaury-Saurel began with mimicking the works of the masters at just ten years old. At a young age, the inspired young painter joined Academie Julian where she thrived as a portrait artist blooming under the influence of Leon Bonnat, professor at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts famous for his vivid depictions of powerful figures in society.
Suzanne Valadon
Suzanne Valadon was a French painter and artist. Born into poverty, Valadon worked a multitude of small jobs including a milliner’s workshop, a factory making wreaths, selling vegetables, and waitress. After a short time in the circus she became a model. In the 10 years that she worked as a model she posed for numerous artists such as Toulouse-Lautrec, Henner, Renoir, and Degas. As she was posing, Valadon educated herself in painting by observing the artists at work
Hilma af Klint
Hilma af Klint was a Swedish painter whose abstract paintings predate those of Mondrian and Kandinsky, both considered the fathers of abstract art. That means Klint was the first western abstract artist. In addition to painting, Hilma practiced Mysticism and that led Klint to create experimental automatic drawings. Her work had been exhibited just a couple of times before her death.
Group I, the WU/Rose Series No 16 Primordial Chaos
Group IV, The Ten Largest, No 10, Old Age
Camille Pissarro
Camille Pissarro was a French artist known for her paintings of a whimsical French countryside or the charm of an urban street in France during the late nineteenth century. Each piece depicts a unique setting that is idealized to give the observer a sense of escape. Her romantic paintings all feature soothing, natural colors and realistic portrayals of scenery.
Boulevard Montmartre on a Winter Morning
Berthe Morisot
Berthe Morisot was a painter and a member of the Paris Impressionists. She was a leading female Impressionist alongside Marie Bracquemond and Mary Cassatt. In 1864, she exhibited for the first time in the highly esteemed Salon de Paris. Her work was selected for exhibition in six subsequent Salons, then she joined the “rejected” Impressionists in the first of their own exhibitions, which included Paul Cezanne, Claude Monet, and Camille Pissarro.
This is not a complete list of women artists in history, but hopefully it will inspire you to seek out more of them. You can browse our Female Artist’s Gallery for beautiful art created by women, from the past up to today.
About the Author Amanda Hadley
Amanda graduated from the University of Kansas, where she studied English literature and got a masters degree in library sciences. She enjoys reading, cooking and playing with her nephews. Her best friend is her little dog Brady.
