Women and art: four hundred years to unveil

A major exhibition at Tate Britain explores the world of female art over more than 400 years. From Tudor times to the First World War, artists such as Artemisia Gentileschi, Mary Beale, Angelica Kauffman, Elizabeth Butler and Laura Knight paved the way for generations of women who followed after them. Rebellious and brilliant women who challenged the canons and expectations of society, customs and common sense, giving life to commercial careers as artists and taking part in important public exhibitions. With over 150 works, the exhibition dismantles stereotypes and questions the common morality that surrounded women artists in history, often relegated to supporting roles and generally considered simple amateurs. The exhibition sheds light on how these indomitable artists championed equal access to artistic education and academic membership, breaking boundaries and overcoming many obstacles to establish what it meant to be a woman in the art world.