Florentine Depictions of Women in Art

Welcome

The relationship between women and art in Florence, Italy has constantly been shifting with the social, political, and cultural aspects of society. With limitations placed on what a woman artist could study to how women were to be depicted in art, it all depended on society.

Now we have these pieces of art from both male and female artists throughout time, and how they are displayed is where society’s values can be seen today. In Florence specifically, women depicted in passive or disempowering scenes are frequently placed on pedestals or where there is a high consistency of viewers. The pieces depicting strong women, while not rejected, do not receive the same importance as they are placed to the side or are grouped together. By looking at pieces in the Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, their placements will provide a look at today’s values. 

Whether placed near the end of exhibits, in spaces that they do not take up much space and therefore do not draw the eye, or placed where they are not taken in the right context, women are consistently downplayed in art placements today.