Between topoi and new narratives. The critical reception of women artists in the first post-war years, in the Roman art scene

Abstract

Even in the delicate phase of the first post-war years – in a phase which represented a turning point in the art system after the collapse of the system supported by the fascist regime – the presence of women artists in the Roman art scene appears considerable. But who were they? And how did the art critics respond to their work? Was it any difference in the reception of the artworks of abstract and figurative women artists? Focusing on the art criticism of that time, we can recognise both the topoi and new narratives adopted to talk about their artworks, and some prejudices on femininity. 

It will be equally interesting to stress the discrepancies between the consideration that involved their work in the years under review and their subsequent critical fortune. The cases of Antonietta Raphaël, Pasquarosa, and Nwarth Zarian exemplify the various degrees of appreciation – ranging from long-term recognition to more or less long oblivion, sometimes interrupted by recent rediscoveries – experienced by women artists. 

Concerning the period between 1944 and 1955, this paper aims to offer some new elements to consider the hard path undertaken in this decade, even by the few women artists still celebrated today for their artistic value, such as Carla Accardi and Bice Lazzari. At the same time, it will give the opportunity to have a more complex view of the Roman art scene, bringing back attention to the frequently omitted presence of women artists and their valuable contributions.