Book Description Review “An art historian profiles women artists who overcame adversity in order to achieve professional success. Some of the most accomplished women in the art world of the past five centuries faced difficulties, great and small, in the pursuit of their crafts. Despite their hardships, the women profiled in this book used their talents and left their marks. Each profile begins with a dramatic moment in the artist’s life: meeting a queen, narrowly escaping the guillotine, surviving sexual assault by a teacher, and attending the 1939 New York World’s Fair. The role of this seminal experience in the artist’s life is then explained as the lens widens to describe the artist’s family life, training, style, and impact on the art world. The artists’ personal and professional lives are seamlessly entwined, and the personal fortitude of each woman is evident in the details of her story. Images of the artist and her work are included as well. While not everyone covered here triumphed during their lifetime—Augusta Savage stopped making art and lived in poverty, for example—their contributions to the world of art and culture and their examples as daring, passionate creatives are fascinating. The artists portrayed are diverse in ethnicity, nationality, sexuality, and their chosen media. Well-chosen and well-told, these artists’ stories will inspire artists and nonartists alike.” —Laura Simeon, Kirkus Reviews”Gr 8 Up–Heroism takes many forms; not all acts of bravery involve battlefields or daring rescues. The artists and art professionals featured in this collection displayed courage in various ways. Each woman overcame challenges to beat formidable odds: sexism, racism, poverty, and homophobia. Several attained success and respect by taking bold, innovative creative risks. One painter took the stand to confront her rapist. A curator and an art detective recovered priceless stolen treasures. The former outsmarted Nazis, and the latter went toe-to-toe with wily thieves. For more than two decades, a conservator painstakingly restored a ruined Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece. Frida Kahlo won international acclaim while living with multiple disabilities and battling severe pain. These fascinating notables, representing different eras (from the Renaissance to the present), nations, ethnicities, and disciplines, are described in 17 brief, well-written, fact-filled chapters. Their stories are relayed in an admiring, conversational tone; clipped sentences promote dramatic, fast-paced reading. Excellent color reproductions of artworks and photos (in the case of historical artists, painted portraits) of the subjects heighten the visual appeal. Colored-background pages, interspersed throughout, also enhance the book’s attractiveness. VERDICT Recommended for public and school libraries; while not essential, it would be useful as supplementary biographical fare for strong, mature readers in women’s studies and art history classes.” —Carol Goldman, School Library Journal Read more About the Author Art historian Eugene Pool taught at two of the nation’s most eminent private high schools. He has published poetry, middle-grade fiction, and a previous book on art history. Read more Customers Review: The author has done legions of young artists a great service. He has profiled a number of women artists through the ages, showing what obstacles they overcame and how they made a difference. Some are well-known and some not so much, but the stories of their lives all deserve to be told. It’s aimed at a young adult audience, perhaps, but as an older an artist, I enjoyed it a great deal. The illustrations are superb. It makes the case for creating art!
Heroic Women reveals the history of many women artists from the Renaissance to modern times for young adult and adult readers through almost incredible stories of adversity overcome and heroic achievement. The brief biographies intrigue this reader to learn more, to dig deeper. A rich bibliography offers many avenues for further study. I’d like to see this book on the shelf of every middle and high school art teacher, and in the hands of every sensitive, curious student.I could only echo the previous reviewers’ praise. Better instead to send copies to appropriate educator and artist friends for their children. Another splendid publication from Tumblehome, and a triumph for author, Eugene Pool.Hurrah for Maya Lin and the Guerrilla Girls! We need you now more than ever.
As an artist, college professor, and grandmother of two girls, I love this book. I’m eager to give each of my granddaughters a copy. In compelling words, each chapter tells the story of a woman artist, or a woman who played a significant role in the world of art. I appreciate that I learned new details and gained insights about the lives of many artists whose work I knew and that I was introduced to artists whose work I hadn’t known. Eugene Poole describes the artist’s work and contributions, places her in the context of her times, and gives us a biography that includes each woman’s personal life and the struggles she experienced just to do her work and to be who she wanted to be. In one beautifully illustrated volume, we travel the globe and see the significant work of artists from the 1500 up to today. What an inspiration for any girl or young woman to read and see! This is a wonderful contribution to art history.
I picked up this book expecting to LEARN about interesting female artists throughout history. What I didn’t expect was how much I would FEEL as I read the experiences of female artists following their passion and talent in a world that was largely unwelcoming and often, overtly hostile. Eugene Poole’s research is impeccable and his ability to create vivid scenes that bring us back into the lives of these women is both informative and inspiring. My teenage daughter and I have taken to reading a chapter together over breakfast to set the tone for the day. If Sofonisibla Anguissola, Artemi Gentileschi, Augusta Savage and other woman featured in this book can overcome monumental challenges, what can we do? !
This book is a who’s who of women that we should be inspired by! A fabulous book for any young person looking for inspiration. This is a fabulously diverse collection of female artists whose contributions to culture, art, and society are and will be everlasting. Pool’s choice of artists from an array of media is impactful and inspiring and kept me reading.
An excellent book for anyone interested in women in the arts. Besides the more well-known artists–Frida Khalo, Annie Leibovitz–Pool also introduces readers to people who play other roles in the art world, including conservators, investigators, architects, and law enforcers. The coverage begins in the 16th century and continues to contemporary times. A great purchase for libraries and for art lovers.
“Heroic Women of the Art World” is a delight. I raced through it and then mailed it to my daughter in college. These harrowing stories of bravery, defiance, and dedication—yes, they persisted!—will inspire artists of all genres and ages. Beautiful reprints. Thrilling stories. Recounting the tumultuous lives of 16 leading women in art, Pool has assembled an anthology that belongs on the shelf of every aspiring artist. Overcoming poverty, rape, and sexism, these heroines—from Berthe Morisot to Augusta Savage to The Gorilla Girls—stayed true to their visions and honored their gifts.
This was a very readable and interesting book! I am a high school art history teacher, and there were a few artists with whom I was unfamiliar; I also learned something new about the artists that I teach on a regular basis, so it was well worth the time to read it. It is geared towards a adolescent/teenage audience both in writing and content and makes an excellent companion to a unit on women artists or women in art. |
8 reviews