Pamela Craven Davies

Notes about my Essay.

I’m half way through my book about Van Gogh’s ear and Bernadette Murphys journey to find out in exact detail what actually happened on a day to day account of Van Gogh’s final years in Arles in the south of France. I found her style of writing very open and honest, and I think this maybe a good approach for me to take in my journey in writing this essay. I’m on a journey to find out about more artists outside my knowledge that already exists. The struggles they faced or are facing. I’m not sure where this path will take me but I’ve made a start. The book I’m looking through today is about women artists fighting for visibility before 1919 in Germany. This is a book published by the Nationalgalerie Berlin. The collection they hold is large and the exhibition is about answering questions such as why was it more difficult for women artists of that period to be recognised? How the art became to be included in their collection? Was it a gift for example or purchased after the artists death. A description of their life, painting career and obstacles they faced.

I don’t think I want my essay to be just about the struggles of women artists, but they play a heavy part because I’m intrigued by their lifestyle and I feel a connection with them. After reading for a couple of hours and making notes I have come across a female artist I have not heard of before. As soon as I turned the page her painting style jumped out at me. Paula Modersohn-Becker. I knew nothing about her but the way in which she painted is so expressive and unconventional for her time. These two paintings in the book of girl with Wreath and girl with garland are powerful. The way the eyes are heavy and the facial expression sullen inspires me to get my paint brushes out once again. With further reading I found she died in child birth not long after painting these whilst in Paris. I will now go on and research more about her and her paintings. See what I come up with. This essay is also about finding role models, what they painted, why they painted or paint and why it means so much to them to paint.