Is there a certain appeal to having a woman seated while posing for a portrait? Does the woman become more attractive? Does she become more approachable? Or maybe looking at it in a feminist aspect is there a small hint of chauvinistic intent? Placing a woman at no great height depicts her as in some ways incompetent and having her sitting portrays her as frail and fragile. Most of these women are somewhat unknown to society and hold no particular importance to the common population, yet they must have had some significance to have been painted. But why always have her seated and looking so lethargic?
The Artist's Mother Seated at a Table, Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1631, From the collection of: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Why, in this portrayal of the artists mother along with the one of Whistlers mother, did the artists decide to delineate these women in such a fashion of somber attitude. If it was me painting me mother it would be quite the opposite.
Portrait of the Artist's Mother, James Abbott McNeil Whistler, 1871, From the collection of: Musée d’Orsay, Paris
(Main View, hi-res composite), From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
This portrait of a young English Aristocratic woman was probably commissioned and determined to show her beauty yet leaves her looking aloof and lost in thought.
Portrait of a Woman, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, 1870, From the collection of: The Phillips Collection
Young woman at a table, 'Poudre de riz', Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1887, From the collection of: Van Gogh Museum
This shows a woman conducting what was considered "bad manners." To be a woman sitting at a cafe alone was very uncouth, along with putting her pale rice powder make-up on in public.
Seated Female Nude, Auguste Rodin, before 1887, From the collection of: Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University
Rodin's figures are expressed as being free from idealization and propriety.
Female Figure, Santiago Rusiñol, 1894, From the collection of: Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya - MNAC, Barcelona
Seated Woman in Blue, Paul Cézanne, 1902-1904, From the collection of: The Phillips Collection
The Victorian Chair, Childe Hassam, 1906, From the collection of: Smithsonian American Art Museum
The title Victorian Chair and New York Interior make me think if the artist had more interest in the chair and the interior regardless of the woman with in the room and who occupies the chair.
New York Interior, Edward Hopper, c.1921, From the collection of: Whitney Museum of American Art
Seated figure, Roy de Maistre, (circa 1936-circa 1937), From the collection of: Art Gallery of New South Wales
Untitled (Kazuko), Anna Malagrida, 2001, From the collection of: Fundacion MAPFRE
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This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Fundacion MAPFRE
The Phillips Collection
Van Gogh Museum
Whitney Museum of American Art
Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University
The J. Paul Getty Museum
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Musée d’Orsay, Paris
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya - MNAC, Barcelona