The 19th century witnessed two industrial revolutions that deeply affected social mobility. The workplace became separate from home. Codes of behaviour increasingly ascribed women’s roles to ideals of domesticity. Art practice was perceived as hobbies of ladies fit for marriage.
Barred from entry to the National School of Fine Arts, some still decided to make painting their profession by finding alternative methods. Certain circles such as the school of Barbizon or the Impressionists notably welcomed female fellow artists. Those were the same experimenting with unconventional beauty types, such as redhead models or ambiguous depictions of gender.
We’ll focus on the portraits of a dozen women or so, from celebrated Impressionists (Mary Cassatt, Berthe Morisot) and Rosa Bonheur to lesser known figures (Victorine Meurent, the face of Olympia and Irish model Joanna Hiffernan).