Chapters on the structures of art historical writing are complemented by
studies of Elizabeth Siddall, Mary Cassatt and Berthe Morisot, which deal with
themes of modernity, sexuality and repression.The publication of 'Vision and Difference' marked a milestone in the
development of modern art history. Its introduction of a feminist perspective
into this largely male-oriented discipline made shockwaves that are still felt
forcefully today. Drawing upon feminist cultural theory previously little
applied to the visual arts, Pollock offers concrete historical analyses of key
moments in the formation of modern culture to reveal the sexual politics at the
heart of modernist art. Crucially, she not only provides a feminist re-reading
of the work of canonical male Impressionist and Pre-Raphaelite artists
including Edgar Degas and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, but also re-inserts into art
history their female contemporaries - women artists such as Berthe Morisot and
Mary Cassatt. Casting her critical eye over the contemporary art scene, Pollock
discusses the work of women artists such as Mary Kelly and Yve Lomax,
highlighting the problems of working in a culture where the feminine is still
defined as the object of the male gaze.; Now published with a new introduction by the author, sion and Difference
remains as powerful and as essential reading as ever for all those seeking not
only to understand the history of the feminine in art but also to develop new
strategies for representation for the future.
