The Mirror and the Palette

Rebellion, Revolution and Resilience: 500 Years of Women's Self-Portraits

By: Jennifer Higgie

Narrated by: Jennifer Higgie

Until the twentieth century, art history was, in the main, written by white men who tended to write about other white men. The idea that women in the West have always made art was rarely cited as a possibility. Yet they have - and, of course, continue to do so - often against tremendous odds, from laws and religion to the pressures of family and public disapproval.

In THE MIRROR AND THE PALETTE, Jennifer Higgie introduces us to a cross-section of women artists who embody the fact that there is more than one way to understand our planet, more than one way to live in it and more than one way to make art about it. Spanning 500 years, biography and cultural history intertwine in a narrative packed with tales of rebellion, adventure, revolution, travel and tragedy enacted by women who turned their back on convention and lived lives of great resilience, creativity and bravery. This is a dazzlingly original and ambitious book by one of the most well-respected art critics at work today.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Jennifer Higgie (P)2021 Orion Publishing Group

Critic reviews

A bewitching, invigorating history of women artists, the work they've made and the impossibly hard conditions in which it was produced. I can't think of a more satisfying riposte to anyone who asks why there have been no great women artists than to present them with this incandescent book (OLIVIA LAING)

Brilliant . . . reveals an until-now hidden history of women's self-portraiture. A gift that keeps on giving (Ali Smith)

Sumptuous as well as fascinating (Rachel Cooke)

Herstory in Art

This is my favorite non fiction book. It narrates the history of female self portrait artists. I like the author s voice and the book is well written.