"How Do We Think About Gender and Sexual Difference" (Lecture Notes)

Gender has been a sensitive topic throughout history, with many historical events made in the attempt to raise female equality to the level that has been granted to men in most, if not all cultures.

In more recent times, the collaboration between art and feminism has been effective. For example, the film Women Art Revolution explores the development of women in art and has been created with the focus of exploring the "lost histories" of female art history.

"The fault lies not in our stars, our hormones, our menstrual cycles, or our empty internal spaces, but in our institutions and our education."

                         - Linda Nochlin, Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists, 1971. 

                                                Reproduced in Women, Art and Power and Other Essays.

The above quote is interesting as it explores the fact that historically there have not been the same opportunities for women as men in the arts. Classical art may feature or centre around women and the idea of femininity but it is predominately created by men. 

The above painting The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli from the Italian Renaissance is an excellent example of this. The image has become a focus point for the representation and power of women deities in the classical age, as the love goddess Venus is the central aspect and is being attended by both males and females. However this painting was created by a man and is same to assume was done so without the purpose of being an inspiration to the power of women.