Why Were There No Great Women Artists?

Why Were There No Great Women Artists? (1971) — one of the most famous art historical essays of recent times, in which Linda Nochlin, uncovering the false naïveté of the titular question and laying the foundations of feminist criticism, explores... the hidden social and psychological prerequisites that have made it impossible for certain social groups, including women, to be awarded the status of "genius artist" for much of art history. In this edition, the still-relevant essay from 1971 is supplemented by its author's revision from 2006, where Nochlin analyzes the prospects of the revolution she envisioned, as well as an introduction by art historian Katherine Grant.