Linda Noclin's Critique on the Idea of Distinctive Feminine Art Style

Next to their deep influence on human relations and social views، one of the effects of the groundbreaking developments occurred during the last few centuries in philosophy، science، economy، culture and art is the reviving attention to feminine issues in multiple realms and notably that of art. One of the prominent figures who have conducted distinguished research in this field is Linda Nochlin. She is best known as a proponent of the question “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?” which has led to new feminist investigation in art history. Drawing on Feminist aesthetics she challenges the basic philosophical and social presuppositions in art world and argues that for a great artist-genius to be known and for a great work of art to be shaped، social beds and institutional factors play an important role. This article would discuss her main viewpoints on this matter. It will be expressed that Nochlin sets Men’s artistic works against those of women to show that both men and women are capable of producing every sort of artworks and hence to contend that there’s no such a concept as feminine artistic style. She proposes this notion that the women artists’ selection of what is called feminine concept is done under the influence of social، institutional and educational elements.