Representation of Gender in the Works of Self-taught Painters in Terms of Social Semiotics of the Image

The purpose of this article is to study the representation of gender in the works of self-taught painters based on the social semiotic model of the image. Self-taught, non-trained artists, those lacked formal and academic education, began spontaneously to produce artistic works. Analysis of these works using the visual grammar of kress and Van Leeuwen in the reading of social semiotics helps to overcome the ambiguity of images as mere entertainment and to reveal the hidden ideology of the paintings. Hence, we selected 32 paintings by nine self-taught artists analyze the image of men and women representations in them. Research is descriptive-analytic and based on library and documentary studies. The results of the analysis indicate that the work of the self-taught painter of men and women reflects the gender division of social roles, with the difference that the female painter implicitly or publicly highlights herself as a nuclear element and introduces woman as the main actor. Therefore, the female painter is conscious of social gender bias trying to change it to their advantage. Women's painters with a realistic view of the works have an explicit look at the characteristics and realities of women and, on the other hand, have an equitable approach to the role of men and women, while the painter has a descriptive look and reproduces gender stereotypes.