The term Modern Art refers to art produced between 1860 and 1970. The following period – art made after 1970 until today – is mostly considered Contemporary Art.

Before the 19th century with its shifts and innovations, artists were occupied with commissions from wealthy patrons or institutions like the church or the monarchy. Much of the art depicted people, religion and/or mythology.  

The 1870 – 1914 industrial revolution transformed lives. Fundamental changes in manufacturing, transport and technology greatly affected social, economic and cultural conditions, starting in Western Europe and North America.  

With these innovations, including easy access to new ways of transport, people changed the way they lived: they travelled to faraway places, experienced different cultures, expanded their vision of the world and learned new ways of expressing what they were seeing. Artist materials evolved, paints as we know them today, nicely packed in tubes became available allowing artists to take their materials and paint in the open air, experimenting with new materials and techniques.

Modern Art contains within it major Modern Art movements: Impressionism with Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot and Maria Braquemond.
Expressionism with Wassily Kandinsky and Sonia Delaunay. Cubism with Pablo Picasso, Natalia Goncharova and Liobov Popova. Dadaism and Surrealism with Tarsila Do Amaral, Dorothea Tanning and Salvador Dali.

When photography was invented in 1839 it dramatically added to the possibilities of depicting and interpreting the world. Through this additional medium we are shown how much artists wanted to express themselves, seeing their world through a different and real lens. It gave rise to a brand new type of artist and gives us the ability to compare vastly different artistic styles.

The Modern Art era saw an uptake in women joining the art movement, albeit with some patriarchal and cultural restrictions.  Art was still a predominantly a male industry and women’s contribution and innovation were not openly recognised. 

The artwork by female Modern artists was created from inside their homes. It was not acceptable for women to work and certainly not in the jobs of men.  An art class with a nude model was  forbidden for women. Women artists made models of themselves through self-portraits and also painted close relatives. By doing so women told us about their lives, their frustrations and their inner thoughts. Women found a way to liberate themselves, telling us through paint about their roles in society and how they felt about it. 

We are finally able to view the crucial role that woman have played in the development of Modern Art. It is hard to believe but he first solo woman exhibition at the National Gallery in London took place in 2020, showcasing Artemisia Gentileschi, and the first woman solo exhibition at the London Royal Academy of Arts  was in 2023 showcasing Marina Abramovic. 

Now we are learning more and more about the the important contributions of women during the Modern Art period. Fast forward a mere 50 years and we can welcome an era in art where women are being recognised as extraordinary contemporary artists.