For many hundreds of years, men paid artists to make art, decided which art to buy, and decided which art could be shown in and bought by museums.
Most of the artists were men, because women were expected to be at home having children and looking after the house. There were women artists, but for a long time it was harder for them to find chances to show their art.
Later, male art historians wrote about male artists but most of them ignored women artists. People assumed the term “artist” referred to a man. By selecting a group of women artists in our collection, we are highlighting the hard work of women making art. We are still interested in the history of male artists as well. We just want to hear more voices and different stories.
Artists featured in this Curation:
Elisabeth Frink (1930–1993),
Janis Bowie (b.1956),
Lubaina Himid (b.1954),
Laura Sylvia Gosse (1881–1968),
Margaret Isabel Dicksee (1859–1903),
Fareha Zeba (b.1961),
Dorothea Sharp (1874–1955),
Sandra Blow (1925–2006),
Joyce Parfitt (b.1939),
Ann Sutton (b.1935),
and 7 more
See all
Aneela Majid (b.1963), Atia Islam Anne (b.1962), Diana Terry, Sheila Dewsbury (b.1944), Ethel Wright (1866–1939), Judith Alsop Miles (b.1959) and
Catrin Mostyn Jones (b.1960)
19 artworks
.
© The Executors of the Frink Estate and Archive. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Birdman
.
© the artist. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Spinning Mules 3 and 4
.
© the artist. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Cone Winder
.
© the artist. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Allow Your Friends to Meet Your Enemies
Allow Your Friends to Meet Your Enemies
2011
Lubaina Himid (b.1954)
Acrylic, pencil & magazine clipping on paper
H 74.5 x W 95 cm
Gallery Oldham
Lubaina Himid (b.1954)
Acrylic, pencil & magazine clipping on paper
H 74.5 x W 95 cm
Gallery Oldham
.
© the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: Bridgeman Images
Dieppe, France
.
Image credit: Bridgeman Images
The Children of Charles I
The Children of Charles I
exhibited 1895
Margaret Isabel Dicksee (1859–1903)
Oil on canvas
H 105.5 x W 85 cm
Gallery Oldham
Margaret Isabel Dicksee (1859–1903)
Oil on canvas
H 105.5 x W 85 cm
Gallery Oldham
.
© the artist. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Child with Stars and Stripes 2
Child with Stars and Stripes 2
2002
Fareha Zeba (b.1961)
Oil & newspaper on board
H 72 x W 72 cm
Gallery Oldham
Fareha Zeba (b.1961)
Oil & newspaper on board
H 72 x W 72 cm
Gallery Oldham
.
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Bridgeman Images
Paddlers
.
© The Executors of the Frink Estate and Archive. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Sir William Walton (1902–1983)
Sir William Walton (1902–1983)
1975
Elisabeth Frink (1930–1993)
Bronze
H 35 x W 19 x D 27 cm
Gallery Oldham
Elisabeth Frink (1930–1993)
Bronze
H 35 x W 19 x D 27 cm
Gallery Oldham
.
© the Sandra Blow estate partnership. All rights reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Number Seventeen
.
© the artist. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Clouds over Denshaw Farm
.
© the artist. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Small Mollington Knot Cushion
Small Mollington Knot Cushion
1973
Ann Sutton (b.1935)
Wool & polyester
H 35 x W 49 x D 17 cm
Gallery Oldham
Ann Sutton (b.1935)
Wool & polyester
H 35 x W 49 x D 17 cm
Gallery Oldham
.
© the artist. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Portrait of Two Sisters
.
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Insulin
.
© the artist. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Too Close to Home
.
© the artist. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Saddleworth Hills, Dusk
Saddleworth Hills, Dusk
2015
Sheila Dewsbury (b.1944)
Oil on canvas
H 34.5 x W 32.5 cm
Gallery Oldham
Sheila Dewsbury (b.1944)
Oil on canvas
H 34.5 x W 32.5 cm
Gallery Oldham
.
Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Bonjour, Pierrot!
.
© the artist. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
King Street, Delph
King Street, Delph
2015
Judith Alsop Miles (b.1959)
Watercolour on paper
H 38 x W 32 cm
Gallery Oldham
Judith Alsop Miles (b.1959)
Watercolour on paper
H 38 x W 32 cm
Gallery Oldham
.
© the artist. Image credit: Gallery Oldham
Spikey Orange
Explore artists in this Curation
View all 17-
Laura Sylvia Gosse (1881–1968) -
Joyce Parfitt (b.1939) -
Ethel Wright (1866–1939) -
Lubaina Himid (b.1954) -
Aneela Majid (b.1963) -
Janis Bowie (b.1956) -
Sheila Dewsbury (b.1944) -
Catrin Mostyn Jones (b.1960) -
Dorothea Sharp (1874–1955) -
Diana Terry - View all 17