Moving on into the body of the book Mancoff gives short biographies of women artists through history. Touching on their lives and work Mancoff gives tantalising glimpses into a world of women fighting to be recognised as artists in their own right despite living in a world where men were dominant, where they were expected to conform to the female stereotype and had to rely on men to train them and provide a starting point for their careers.
As interesting as these biographies were, however, I wanted more. I was frustrated, initially, that after the promise of the Introduction the book was then filled with biographies which gave only brief outlines of the women’s lives and achievements. I wanted to know more about how the women succeeded, what they did, specifically, to become successful in a male dominated profession. But then I began to realise that this is a huge topic, one that could hardly be covered in one book. But Danger! Women Artists at Work has made me want to discover more and by listing so many women artists in one place. Mancoff has given me a starting point.
Danger! Women Artists at Work is well written, accessible and full of beautiful prints of each artist’s work. Its premise that women have had to work hard and court danger in order to succeed is more than interesting, it is a glimpse at a hidden truth. It reveals some of the struggle endured by women artists and shows that the artists of today, such as Tracey Emin and Renee Cox, are members of a long line of women determined to fulfil their artistic ambitions against all odds. Definitely a book worth reading and one that will hopefully inspire readers to read further and discover more.
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