The Invisible Flaneuse?: Gender, Public Space and Visual Culture in Nineteenth Century Paris (Barber Institute's Critical Perspectives in Art History) by Aruna D'Souza (Editor), Tom McDonough (Editor) › Visit Amazon's Tom McDonough Page search result...

by Aruna d'Souza

"This collection of essays revisits gender and urban modernity in nineteenth-century Paris in the wake of changes to the fabric of the city and social life. In rethinking the figure of the flaneur, the contributors apply the most current thinking in literature and urban studies to an examination of visual culture of the period, including painting, caricature, illustrated magazines and posters. Using a variety of approaches, the collection re-examines the long-held belief that life in Paris was divided according to strict gender norms, with men free to roam in public space while women were restricted to the privacy of the domestic sphere. Thus the reader will be left with a more subtle map of the gendered topography of Parisin modernity." Framed by essays by Janet Wolff and Linda Nochlin - two scholars whose work has been central to the investigation of gender and representation in the nineteenth century - this collection brings together new methods of looking at visual culture with a more nuanced way of picturing city life. This book will be of interest not only to scholars of art history and visual culture, but also to those in the fields of cultural studies, urban studies, French history and gender studies.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, History, Urban Planning

Unknown Binding

First published September 19, 2006

Reviews

[Kiely · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite essay was "Dusting the Surface: The Bourgeoisie, the Veil, and Haussmann's Paris." An engaging, critical look at a topic that doesn't nearly get discussed enough: how women fit into the newly renovated, Haussmannized Paris.