Why Are There No Great Women Artists? Author: Linda Nochlin Translator: Li Jianqun Publisher: Guangxi Normal University Press

Why is it that when we talk about art, we always mention Van Gogh, Picasso and Monet?

Why are great female artists rarely mentioned in the general public's eyes?

Is it really harder for women to be "artists" in history? Why is it so hard for female artists to be defined as "great"?

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The lonely dark night finally has starlight

A pioneering work in the field of feminist art

The 50th Anniversary Edition is introduced with a major translation

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The power of women has never been marginalized in the long history of art

Speak with the classics and let them be seen

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【Content Introduction】

This is a pioneering work in the field of feminist art that has been circulated for half a century. Under the influence of the feminist movement in the 1970s, Linda Nochlin, an art historian, reflected and wrote this article "Why Are There No Great Women Artists?", which started a series of thoughts around gender, art and power, and officially sounded the clarion call for feminism in the field of art.

In 2006, Nochlin published "Why Are There No Great Women Artists?" 30 Years Later, further deconstructing the understanding of greatness and reflecting on the original criticisms and beautiful visions. Have they changed and been realized now? This article is also included in the 50th anniversary edition of "Why Are There No Great Women Artists?" This is the first time it has been introduced and published in China.

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【Media Recommendation】

It’s rare that a single publication by an art historian changes the world, but Linda Nochlin’s 1971 article “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?” certainly did. At the time, I had already found, in a self-directed study, that art history’s conclusions about the lack of great women artists were wrong. But it was a revelation for the profession, and it spawned generations of feminist art historians (both men and women) who set out to unearth history and launched a revolution in that regard that is still ongoing today.

——Judy Chicago (artist, writer)

Linda Nochlin’s 1971 essay “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?” laid the foundation for feminist art history. Her insightful critique of the idea that greatness is an innate quality and her exploration of how women artists have successfully resisted institutional exclusion and social inequality remain vital today.

——Katherine Grant (art historian)

Whether you agree or disagree, this book is irresistible.

——Financial Times

Looking back at art history, "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?" - this question raised by art historian Linda Nochlin in 1971 and the institutional and sociological analysis she conducted on it are still applicable today.

——Art News/Chinese Edition

Art historian Linda Nochlin published the most important article on feminist art, “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?” She became the standard-bearer of this banner, and female artists began to become a group, no longer just members of art organizations or the wives of certain artists.

——"Sanlian Life Weekly"

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【Highlights of this book】

▶ A landmark article that heralded the beginning of feminist art history:

In the 1960s, women's studies entered almost all disciplines. Fifty years ago, Nochlin pointed out in this article: no matter how talented or hardworking female artists are, under the existing institutional structure and social division of labor, female artists can never achieve similar artistic achievements as their male counterparts. This article is the first challenge launched by feminism in art history, and explores the deep reasons for the lack of great female artists - sexual power relations and social structure.

▶ Representative works of pioneers of feminist theory:

Nochlin was a pioneer in introducing feminist theory into the field of art history. She was also a world-renowned author. After her death in 2017, she was hailed as "one of the greatest troublemakers in art history." This book specially invited Li Jianqun, a professor of the Department of Art History at the School of Humanities of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, to translate and present the simplified Chinese version of this classic translation to readers, so that readers will not only be aware of the achievements of feminism, but also the difficulties that lie ahead.

▶ Facing the changes in women's situation over the past half century:

Why is Nochlin's question 50 years ago still so relevant today? What achievements have we made in the past half century, and what difficulties are we still facing? In 2006, Nochlin published "Why Are There No Great Women Artists?" 30 Years Later, reflecting on the criticisms and beautiful visions of the time. In 2021, art historian Katherine Grant wrote a preface for the book, clearly and systematically explaining the impact of Nochlin's question 50 years ago over the past half century. These two articles, included together in the book, are more relevant as a comparison with the questions 50 years ago.

▶ Portable pocket book, easy and stress-free reading:

This book is imported from Thames & Hudson, a famous British art publishing organization. The binding design completely restores the unique style of the 50th anniversary edition of the original English version. The book is small and exquisite, with three articles and more than 100 pages, making reading easier and simpler. As a classic translation that can bring new reflections and inspiration to many people, it is not obscure and difficult.

▶ Extending from the perspective of art history, we bring you more diverse perspectives on feminism:

What would have happened if Leonardo da Vinci had a sister who was as talented as him? What if it was Shakespeare? In her book A Room of One's Own, the British writer Woolf imagined that if Shakespeare had a talented sister, her life would probably have gone through - unable to go to school, escaping marriage at a young age, being rejected as an actress, meeting the wrong person, getting pregnant unexpectedly, and eventually dying on the street. In fact, following Nochlin's question half a century ago, continuing to explore will definitely produce a series of chain reactions. This question can also be extended to embrace history, social sciences, literature, psychology, etc.

Linda Nochlin (1931-2017) is an art historian and professor of art history at the Institute of Modern Art at New York University. She has written many art history papers on gender studies and books on 19th-century realism. Her numerous publications include Women, Art and Power, Painting Women, Courbet, and Women Artists and Suffering.

Li Jianqun is a professor at the Department of Art History, School of Humanities, Central Academy of Fine Arts. Her research interests include Western art history, feminist art and art history.