The Mirror and the Palette: Rebellion, Revolution and Resilience: 500 Years of Women's Self-Portraits

by Jennifer Higgie

'Reveals an until-now hidden history of women's self-portraiture. A gift that keeps on giving' ALI SMITH, NEW STATESMAN, Books of the Year
'A fascinating survey . . . Extraordinary' DAILY MAIL
'A bewitching, invigorating history' OLIVIA LAING
'Grips from the opening pages' FINANCIAL TIMES
'Important and brilliantly accessible' VOGUE

Until the twentieth century, art history was, in the main, written by white men who tended to write about other white men. The idea that women in the West have always made art was rarely cited as a possibility. Yet they have - and, of course, continue to do so - often against tremendous odds, from laws and religion to the pressures of family and public disapproval.

In THE MIRROR AND THE PALETTE, Jennifer Higgie introduces us to a cross-section of women artists who embody the fact that there is more than one way to understand our planet, more than one way to live in it and more than one way to make art about it. Spanning 500 years, biography and cultural history intertwine in a narrative packed with tales of rebellion, adventure, revolution, travel and tragedy enacted by women who turned their back on convention and lived lives of great resilience, creativity and bravery. This is a dazzlingly original and ambitious book by one of the most well-respected art critics at work today.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, History, Art History, Feminism, Womens, Gender

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Adele · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is very well written and researched. I really enjoyed reading these stories and exploring the artists highlighted in more depth.
It is of limited scope and would benefit the text to acknowledge this fact. The inclusion of Australia’s appalling racist history to create context seems tacked on especially without including any first hand Indigenous perspectives. Margaret Preston appropriating Indigenous art and her extreme racist beliefs are not diluted because they “were of their time” I think we can acknowledge that much. These accounts are primarily about white women artists and those non white artists included (which in this version of art history seem to only to create portraits in more recent times - what were these women doing earlier?) appear to be tokenistic and viewed very much through a white lens of art history. Again, an acknowledgment of this tension and it’s limited scope would only benefit the text. All too often there’s a mentality that including non white artists into a white art world under the umbrella of “diversity and inclusion” is all that is required.
I love the chapter about Suzanne Valdon. I think this is a book in of itself. The chapter about Allegory is fantastic.
Very much mixed feelings about this book.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book I wanted to love but can't. If I was able to read this as someone who isn't an art historian, it would have been so much easier. Nice collection of anecdotes but small regard for conventions of the discipline. Sustained visual analysis is sorely lacking and references are included only as listed notes at the back of the book without the standard sequential numbering. Paintings are mentioned briefly without title, and two sections of colour plate images appear to have been inserted in the wrong order - with incomplete captions. Yes I am persnickety, because these details are vital to the appropriate attribution of scholarship and the creation and ongoing care of works. Perhaps this is another sign of cost cutting publishers but again, critical content is missing and so it's not as easy as blaming inflexible budgets. An extra star for author's very good intentions though.

[Gregor Kulla · Rating 4 out of 5]

alatoon oli see, kuidas naised, hoolimata oma edust ja hiilgusest, on jäetud süstemaatiliselt kunstiloo kaanonist välja. juttu tuli mitmest kunstnikust, keda oma eluajal või hiljem peeti kas euroopa või oma riigi parimateks, kuid kelle nimi ajalookirjutistesse ei jõudnud. naine võis olla hea, super või ma ei tea, jumalik, aga ta jäi meestele (kes olid need, kes nn suure lääne ajaloo kirjutasid) muusaks või kellekski, kes on oma ala meister, kuid vist kogemata? siis muidugi kõik need lisavõlud, et naise maine koltus sõrmenipsuga, kui tal polnud meest, last, naiselikkust, vaoshoitust, raha, head perekonda, head tuju või mida veel. samuti võis mees ta maine hetkega nullida, vägistada, mustata, mil naine sai üksnes ellu jääda. värvikad näited oli ka kriitikast – kuidas naise isikunäitus oli ropp, sest seal puudus naiselikkus, naise ainus väärt omadus. ja kiri Renoiril, kes leidis, et naine ei saagi kunstnik olla. ta ei suuda. üldse avastasin palju kuulsate meeste kohta. mehed võisid teha mida iganes ilma, et keegi neid viltu vaataks. reaalselt, mida iganes. käisin Egon Schiele suurima kollektsiooni väljapanekut vaatamas. ta ahistas või vägistas tüdrukut, aga pesi end paari aastaga puhtaks. nüüd on ta iga Sartret lugeva sadboy lemmikkunstnik. nainel piisas valele inimesele naeratada, et külas mädastuda.

põhitoon olid naiste maalitud autoportreed ja nende kirjeldused. ja põgusad elulood. kirjelduste asemel võinuks rohkem pilte olla. aga elulood olid põnevad. ja läbikäimised siis teiste kunstnike ja muusikutega. Suzanne Valadon oli Erik Satie ainus kallim. Valadon jättis ta maha. selliseid lugusid tahaks kunstiloos lugeda või kuulda. mulle õpetati ainult mehi ja siis Frida Kahlot. aga art = life.

[Genevieve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have learnt a LOT from this book.While I don't always want to know about the lives of the artists, and initially I worried I might find the tone a bit grating, the stories in here are really quite fascinating. Gets better as it goes on - especially when Higgie is writing about early 20th century artists Gwen John, Paula Modersohn-Becker and Suzanne Valadon. Basically I have a ton more educating myself to do now...

[Anisha Inkspill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating and enjoyable read which highlight how many talented artists were looked over for being a woman.

The 30 or so women covered here, some more in-depth than others, all had to struggle in one way or another to be seen.

Jennifer Higgie in chapter 5: Solitude says:

Although she is now considered to be one of Australia's great portrait painters, it took sixty-two years before a painting by Nora Heysen was hung in the country's National Portrait Gallery.

Which I thought sums up the spirit of this book.

This isn’t an in-depth read, instead Jennifer Higgie shows these women’s courage to not conform (despite the odds) and to follow their hearts.

[Marialena Prapa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most perfect answer to anyone asking why there aren’t any great women artists. Striking and powerful, a great account of the story and obstacles faced by female artists illuminated through portraiture. A must read for any art lover.

[Sophy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! What a treat from start to finish. I love a book that has me googling images, artists and references to pieces of work.

Jennifer Higgie has a great writing style, really engaging and interesting.

Highly recommended and definitely a keeper.

[Mijke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read

[Hannah Nygaard Johannessen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful and informative. A series of short interwoven biographies of women creating art, and the many obstacles they face(d) throughout the past five hundred years; the book focuses on the artists’ art where they themselves are the main subject. If you think this might sound vain then this book is the surprise and challenge you need. At times it feels repetitive, but this only underlines its very point of the systemic hindrances of women. An interesting read, and many bonus points for the aesthetic cover!!

[Kristina Fontes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired by the stories of these women, and also furious that I was never introduced to them in school. But it's always a good time to learn something new! And now I have a lot more reading to do.

[Giovanna Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lockdown read. Really enjoyed the stories, and appreciated the research into the various painters. Their challenges across time, some challenges remain the same across time. The limitations, restrictions (by men and society), and yet the women continued to paint.
In 1989, 'Do women have to be naked to get into the Met Museum?...Less than 5% of the women in the Modern Arts section are women but 85% of the nudes are female.'
Wow. So interesting and enlightening. and reading as a women.
A story of resilience, perseverance, suffering....and so much more.
Also enjoyed seeing the colour photos of the paintings.
A different way of looking is always a good thing.

[Clare Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn’t as specific/academic as i expected it to be which was good in some ways but i was reading for dis so also not as helpful for that purpose. was super super super enlightening about lots of female painters i have never heard of, despite hating all male painters (i thought this qualified me to know more female painters but apparently not). also the way that Jennifer subtly infused the narratives with the theme of the book was quite impactful and mostly sensitive. it could get repetitive if you were reading for a long period of time as it would follow the same format for each artist and made it hard to stay engaged. but i did really like the content and the description of the self portraits. 🥰women🥰

[Elze De · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zeer interessante informatie over vrouwen die schilderen. Fijn dat er hier nu aandacht voor is. Nadeel is dat veel verwijzingen naar werken niet genummerd zijn in het boek. Ook word er veel werk genoemd dat niet is afgebeeld in het boek en met de opgegeven titel ook niet te vinden is op Google. Vond ik zelf echt een gemis.

[Sarah AF · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In the act of painting herself she makes clear that she is someone worth looking at, someone worth acknowledging. Her paintings assume shapes that she does not always predict. Against all odds, she discovers what she is capable of."

I grew up visiting art galleries, stepping closer to paintings to observe the way the artist captured light and taking in the world that they had created within a frame and I never took a moment to realise that 99% of the works that I was absorbing were the works of male artists and why that was. Finally that balance is being redressed and forcing the art world to sit up and acknowledge their role in denying female artists the platform that their art deserves and a big part of that is due to works like this.

What Higgie presents here is the story of a world that was closed off to women, saw them and their work as "lesser" and how these women persisted anyway and found expression in their work and, ultimately, in capturing themselves. Coming through strongly was that women were entirely dependent on men pre-1900s, with fathers often playing a great influencing role, in being given the foundation and materials that allowed them to discover their passion and talent because of the rigid expectations and demands around a woman's role. It was a pattern that carried a bittersweetness, a thought of all the potential and talent that has been lost across history because of those demands. Instead we are left with a limited collection of women artists who may have found their origins with the support of men, but who were driven by their passion for art and developed their skills and styles for themselves and the world and people that *they* wanted to portray. Even so, recognition was and is a hard thing to come by for a women artist, with many of the featured artists only receiving the attention their works deserved in their later years or, much more cruelly, after their deaths.

I think, particularly in the Kindle editions, it would have been more fitting to feature the self portraits alongside the biographies of the artists, but Higgie's writing and ability to capture the inner workings of her artists and the societies and time they lived in were just wonderful.

[Katy Wheatley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading this alongside Waterstone's Book of the Year: A History of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel and it has been fascinating. Higgie takes us on a whirlwind tour of five hundred years of women artists who have largely been, up until now, excluded from the largely male canon. Starting at the Renaissance and finishing in the Twentieth Century, Higgie focuses mainly on women who painted themselves and looks predominantly at portraiture. I love that she writes about exactly how these women were able to rise above the restrictions of society to become acknowledged in their field. it provides much needed context for the lives that shaped their art practice. My only criticism is that there are not many pictures and if, like me, you want to see the works she writes about, you will have to go off and do some digging, or read it alongside the Hessel, which has many more pictures and features many of the same artists.

[Tia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot from the breadth of research here! Even though I’ve studied some art history and knew that women had always made art, the extent to which they were actually major players in the art world in the 15th-18th centuries was a surprise to me (and a scathing indictment of the archive). I wish Higgie had more of an argument or analytical frame though, as it’s mostly just historical glossing and describing paintings rather than telling us what makes them so interesting (what little analysis there is will seem obvious to anyone with some background in studying art). The thread of the self-portrait also feels intermittent and like something she could have done a lot more with. Finally, the only non-European painters crop up in a section on nationhood which feels both limited and limiting.

[Sadie McGuire · Rating 4 out of 5]

My independent study in art history (exclusively focusing on women) continues! I liked this but it could have used another edit. Some of the biographies are too wordy with details that wander along with no significance. Still, you can feel Higgie’s joy on the subject throughout.

I appreciate the way this book was organized not by period or artist by themes in self portraits - Allegory, Hallucination, Naked, etc. It provided a great framework for how these artists were in conversation with each other - at times literally and others theoretically - outside of the usual frameworks of Impressionism, Surrealism, etc.

I enjoyed learning more about artists I’ve read about before and those that were new to me - and look forward to reading more about them and discovering new ones. Adding to my purchase list!

[Tanza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jennifer Higgie is a fantastic art historian. She tackles each of her subjects with deep empathy and doesn't linger too long. I appreciate the breadth of artists she presents in this book — these women span as much of art history as they can, given the restrictions put on women through time. This book provides all the historical context that allows one to understand what these women face, but ultimately every portrait holds the fury and tenacity of these women who decided to be painters even when literally every person in their life and every institution tried to stand in their way. This common threat of tenacity is compelling without being repetitive, and I enjoyed each vignette.

[Jonathan Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

A lot of what it has in here is very valuable and sheds light on a subject that is overlooked to a genuinely hilarious degree, given what one has to work with. In terms of readability, however, this book falters a bit. The text is divided thematically as opposed to chronologically, which I don’t feel particularly passionate about one way or the other, it flows fine. The author decides to refer to the artists in each section by their first name which I didn’t really care for. Occasionally, some of the chapters can lose a bit of focus with their thematic through-line, and veer off, but this never gets to be too bad. Overall this is a book well worth reading, and these artists well worth knowing.

[Morag Forbes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I just wasn’t in the right head space for this book. There is a lot of information and it required constant focus to understand what was being described.
I wanted to value what was being said because these are women whose lives haven’t been described before. And from that perspective the book absolutely delivers. It is brilliantly researched and telling these stories is important. Too much art history is white and male.
But I had to keep battling not to DNF it and putting it down and picking it back up again. I did finish but it was a struggle. Maybe in the future when I have more spare capacity I’ll read it again.

[Moira]

Informative read - I got the most out of the parts focused on pre-20th century, I think I needed more context for later artists. May have benefited by defining a more limited scope (time/geographic region/pictorial convention), Thematic organization questionable

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

i think the topic is extremely fascinating. however, it felt like certain artists were given the limelight more than others (i.e. Alice Neel felt rushed through). this is more of a preference, but not all the photos were included, nor were they in order.

the book is a nice introductory book, but it diverges greatly from how art historical books are written (way more informal). i enjoyed the descriptions of the art that wasn't included in print... a true gift of the author.

[peatrycze pergolette · Rating 5 out of 5]

zajebiscie inspirujące

[Bri Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

always love reading about art history and women artists 😻

[Ava London · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wanted to enjoy this more than I did

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go to the art history section of your local book store or library: skim the titles, the authors. How many of the works are about women? How many works are about women AND written by women? It’s unlikely that you could fit a whole shelf with books that fit these parameters. Higgie’s work was wonderful, and as she says herself, is only the tip of the iceberg.
I’m no art historian, only a lover of art (and, a lover of women). I loved every page of this, and unlike other reviewers found it very easy to get sucked into despite it not being my normal reading material.

Read it with your phone or laptop at the ready; it was even more enjoyable to look up each artist while reading to get to see more of their work while learning about them. That would have been my only wish: to have more images of paintings to look at printed in the book.

[Cynthia Close · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intimate look at the lives of extraordinary women who, regardless of the circumstances - the time and place of their birth - were driven by an artistic impulse to paint. They all achieved recognition in their own time. Some to great acclaim and financial success only to be quickly forgotten after death. Their secret is revealed in the way they painted themselves. They knew their power and were fearless in exploiting it on the canvas. I thank author and art historian Jennifer Higgie for her enthusiastic and accessible narration through the pages of these talented artists' lives that are now coming to light partly due to our current zeitgeist. I only wish the book had been more lavishly illustrated.

[Eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm! 3.5 stars. Reading some other reviews on Goodreads I thought I'd be more troubled by this book's pretty much Western (and if not Western, than white, for the most part) lens. But it never really promises to share a history of the world's female self-portraiture. Rather, it is a case study of a handful of female artists through history, looking at their lives and histories and analyzing a self-portrait from each. Where I had expected more of a widespread consideration of female self-portraiture and its meaning in a psychological, sociological or theory-based sense, I found more of a group biography. Which is fine. Less interesting than it could have been, but fine. I looked up the author and she's not an art historian or anything-- this book reads like a novelist sharing some historical research she did for fun rather than an expert in a field exploring theoretical ideas. The author didn't seem to have many deep ideas about meaning other than what you can read about a painting on a wikipedia page, and she referenced lots of original historical sources (pertaining to an artist's history and personal life) but very few references to art criticism or theory. (Not even one John Berger reference!!) But I did really enjoy a lot of the writing, particularly the chapters on Frida Kahlo, Suzanne Valadon, and Alice Neel, who are three of my favorite artists, as well as the bit about the history of the mirror and its influence on self-portraiture. Anyhoo... off to go paint myself again.

[MaryEllen Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great book! Its a valuable education on virtually unknown women artists as well as thought provoking writing about the nature of self-portraiture. It took me so long to finish it because I kept putting it down and googling images of the various self-portraits mentioned in the book. I also took a couple of detours reading two biographies of Artemesia Gentileschi (there are three and all are good in their own ways (Susan Vreeland, the Passion of Artemesia, Artemisia by Alexandra LaPierre and Fierce Dreamer byLinda Lafferty) as well as Women in the Picture: What Culture does with Women's Bodies, Lady in Ermine about Sofonisba a beautiful book/catalog of an exhibition called By Her Hand, Artemisia Gentileschi and Women Artists in Italy, 1500-1800! I did not want The Mirror and the Palette to end! These artists were genius and lived extraordinarily difficult lives! I had not heard of Gwen John, Lois Mailou Jones, Rita Cass, Amrita Sher-Gil, Leonora Carrington or Helen Schjenfbeck, but their life stories are as fascinating as the early Italian artists - if there aren't biographies of their lives, there ought to be! I'm grateful for any recommendations on biographies/historical fiction of these or other women artists.

[martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The structure of this book was broken down so well for covering 500 years of forgotten history. I found the exploration of female artists left behind so vital, and enriching especially in a historical context. Too many of the female artists that I know are 21st century and, usually, still alive so this was refreshing. I loved how the power of the self portrait was made clear, to create one is an act of defining one’s place in the world against all odds. I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of female artists, including Loïs Maillou Jones and Amrita Sher-Gil, who I likely would not have ever heard of without this book. Most of all, I appreciated the 500 year timeline, proving once again how women have always been a part of creation and life regardless of how history likes to remember their role. The tales of their lives were simply extraordinary and it has enabled me to treasure the artistic foremothers that are only just having the same treatment as their male counterparts.