Women in the Middle age did not have the same rights as today. Women were treated as the second class in their social circle. They were expected serve their husbands, be obedient, be a good housewife and a mother. Women duties were primarily confined to home and family life. They were not given the opportunity to acquire academic knowledge unless they marry the church. Throughout the middle ages, the role of women were often dictated by Church. It is and was believed that Eve was created from Adam’s rib; and the world came to being after Eve ate a forbidden fruit. In the middle ages, women were held responsible for this original sin and hence why they were inferior to men. Women’s place in society was reflected in many women artist’s work.
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| Aelfgyva and the Cleric from The Bayeux Tapestry, c. 1086 |
Bayeux Tapestry- which tells the story of the Norman Conquest on the strip of a linen which is seven hundred meter long. One of the image from it, “Aelfgyva and the Cleric” give us an idea of women’s role in the middle age. Aelfgyva is dressed in very simple clothes, as women dressed back then. The cleric is stretching his arm towards her in a way that seems possessive and violent. Aeflgyva’s body language gives the audience a sense of submission and inferiority towards the cleric. “Among the scores of male figures, there are only three women in the central register. One appear as a mourner in the scene of King Edward on his deathbed, another holds a boy by the hand as they flee from the burning house” (Chadwick 48). In 700 meter long tapestry, women are only portrayed three times. Even in those short appearances, women were subjected submissive or as mothers. Aeflgyva did not seem to mattered in this image. Most of the tapestry dealt with politics and battles, therefore women portrayal was not emphasized.
With some rare exceptions, Christine de Pizan was one of the first notable woman in the medieval times who is known for pioneering work for women. She was born in Venice in 1364 in a very educated family. She was the first woman to write about woman in The City of Ladies.
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| THE BRICKLAYERS The City of Ladies |
In this painting above, women are seen building the foundation of The City of Ladies. No man is seen in this scenario because the Christine de Pizan wanted to portray women as capable as a man. In the middle ages, women were not allowed to take part in the same activities as men, so to illustrate women as strong and intellectual was very unorthodox. She was shunned by many for her rebellious work, it was courageous act for a women to be an outspoken intellect in an era when females were thought to be morally inferior and incapable of reason and logic" (Guerrilla Girls 23). Women artist were restricted to their opinions in the Middle ages. Most art by women were limited to religious themes because monks and nuns were the main artist during the middle ages. However, Christine de Pizan was far from usual artists. She used her writing and painting skills to speak for women. "She was enraged by guys who espoused bigoted ideas about women and then thought themselves to be advanced and enlightened for it" (Guerrilla Girls 26). "Guerrila Girls believed that [Christine de Pizan] were the first Renaissance (Wo)men (Guerrilla Girls 27). The Renaissance era brought new ways to perceive the world with new techniques in art, literature, fashion, politics and etc.
In the Renaissance era, women were more empowered compared to The middle ages. They were allowed to teach, attend universities, get legal abortion etc. This change was also seen in art.
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| Domenico Ghirlandaio Giovanna Tornabuoni, 1488 |
Works Cited:
Chadwick, Whitney. Women, Art, and Society. 4th ed. New York, N.Y.: Thames and Hudson, 1990. Print.The Guerrilla Girls' Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art. New York: Penguin, 1998. Print.
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