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catriona_s's review
5.0
A really useful and educational book which covers female artists from the 16th Century onwards and how they represent themselves through self-portraiture. The book presents a wide range of work, women, and actually gives a really insightful and well written dialogue/analysis. While I was familiar with a lot of the modern day works, I really enjoyed reading about earlier female artists since a lot of art history focuses on male painters, especially within the 16-19th Century. Seeing classical paintings from the female perspective/gaze really provides so much context for the modern work we see today, an essential book to read I would say if you want to learn more about feminism/female representation in art or are pursuing such topics in your own art practice.
The new edition I think deserves a mention as well, lovely cover and binding by Thames & Hudson, the inside is well presented with a good balance of image and text. While this may seem a weird thing to include in the review its something to consider I think in art books. I also really like the larger full page images at the beginning and end of the book, even if some of them are therefore a bit cropped and warped by the curve of the page.
The new edition I think deserves a mention as well, lovely cover and binding by Thames & Hudson, the inside is well presented with a good balance of image and text. While this may seem a weird thing to include in the review its something to consider I think in art books. I also really like the larger full page images at the beginning and end of the book, even if some of them are therefore a bit cropped and warped by the curve of the page.
libs's review
4.0
a really interesting book! it covers a pretty broad span of self-portraiture (mainly European, but a lot of time and different types of women as well as different styles/media) & seems accessible even for people without an art history background. much more compellingly written than the aesthetics essay I was meant to be reading.
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