Reviews with content warning for Sexism - Women in the Picture: What Culture Does with Female Bodies

Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Women in the Picture: What Culture Does with Female Bodies by Catherine McCormack

7 reviews

a_violentfemme's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

2.5

I didn't hate this but overall, I don't think I am the target audience for this book. This book is accessible for those without an experience of art historical arguments- especially feminist ones. But I found these theories all very surface level, predictable and a summary of ideas originally by many other well known feminist art historians.
She splits the book (and depictions of women in art) into 4 sections- Venus, mother's, maidens and monsterous women. She uses some well known and loved case studies e.g Titan's 'Rape of Europa' and Millias' 'Ophelia' and attempts to put these in conversation with contemporary media and pop culture, like Beyonce's 'lemonade' but it all left me a bit cold.
In content this reminded me of Lauren Elkin's art monsters- which I also didn't particularly enjoy (especially all the talk of writing during the pandemic and balancing mothering and writing).
I was waiting for a mention or citation of famouse academics in this field including Lynda Nead, Griselda Pollock or Linda Nochlin and they only got a disappointing acknowledgment at the end.

Give it a go if you are a beginner in art history but maybe skip over it and read 'the female nude' by Lynda Nead instead.

Content Warnings

carlycormier_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Content Warnings

triple_m's review against another edition

Go to review page

informative medium-paced

5.0

I’ve never been particularly interested in art, but I am interested in feminist literature so I thought this book would be a fun way to expand my reading.

I loved it. As an art novice I feel like I learned so much and the author explained the significance, origins, and evolution of each archetype in a way that easy to digest as a newbie.

A very strong intention on being intersectional! Way more than “and here’s a chapter about POC women.” Queer and BIPOC women and their relationship to the chapter topic were discussed in every chapter.

Content Warnings