In the case of the artists Mary Cassatt and Thomas Eakins gender plays a significant role in their work, especially in the case of Mary Cassatt, giving women a sense of empowerment and highlighting them in a new way. Thomas Eakins and Mary Cassatt were both American painters and were very much in the midst of this groundbreaking movement in painting called Impressionism. They took there influences and studies in Paris and created some dynamic work that reflected male amid female gender roles.
Of course there were others who in impressionism depicted a new individualistic point in gender like in Manet's, "Olympia", 1863. Oil on Canvas. Using a prostitute as a model and including a black woman which at the time signified animalisitc sexuality, was new and definitely a shock to the art community in depicting the female gender in contrast with the traditional sense associated with female nude models.
Now one example from Mary Cassatt would be her work entitled, "Woman in Black at the Opera", 1880. Oil on canvas. Here we see right away that the main focus is the woman which is in the foreground and takes up most of the canvas. We have the woman wearing all black which in itself touches on what women had to go through that time. Due to the fact that it was not really accepted to go out alone or in other words, perhaps without a male, they would often times dress in dark clothing or in black when out alone in order to not stand out to the public. So right their there is a significance in female gender roles of the time. Here the women is at the opera, alone and as if she is defying the norm she is seen in control in command viewing the opera through binoculars. She is the women focusing in on the show from above. We also see in the background a man viewing her from across the opera. The women is the focus again. The male is secondary. Her posture also suggests that she is in control with her leaning towards the edge. She is in the moment. Also she is not looking at the viewer or gazing at the viewer of the artwork directly but is focused and in control. The background is blurred and the light source is in the background as well with brush strokes visible. Clearly the role of gender played a significant role in her work as seen in this piece and many others.
In comparison and in contrast we look at gender role from another artist and how it differentiates. Thomas Eakins piece entitled, " The Concert Singer (Weda Cook), 1892. Oil on canvas. Here we see Weda Cook performing yet she seems timid in a sense, reserved. Also we see that in bottom left corner of the painting the right hand of a male conducting Weda Cook with a conductors stick in hand. Here even though the woman is in center she is not in command due to the small hand in the lower left corner. Her pose seems weak and as if not of her own tuition. She is interpreted by Eakins, "as the instrument of the music that flows forth from her rather than as a creator in her own right" (Thames & Hudson). In other words she is perhaps not capable of creating her own music rather she is the instrument and the male is directing her. She is not in control although she is the focus of this work.
Mary Cassatt's work clearly shows a perspective of women in different roles whether it be motherhood, or women alone, she is focusing on the womens perspective. Thomas Eakins is focusing more on the male gender and most show men in control and in power. They are the focal point in his work and in some cases as in the painting of "The Concert Singer" we see even then that the roles of gender are brought forth according to the artist and the culture of the time.
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cast/hd_cast.htm
Works Cited
Eisenman, Stephen M. Nineteenth Century Art: A Critical History. 4th ed. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2011. Print.
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