The Story of Women and Art

Professor Amanda Vickery journeys from Renaissance Italy to the Dutch Republic and discovers a hidden world of female artistry. By digging in storerooms, convents and basements she rescues dazzling female artists from the shadows, and reveal stories of courage and determination in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Professor Amanda Vickery's journey to uncover the story of female creativity reaches the 18th Century. The focus turns to the industrial powerhouse that is Britain and the glittering French Court of Marie Antoinette. Despite being regarded as second class citizens when it came to art this was an era when ingenious women seized a galaxy of fresh opportunities to stamp their creativity on the age; from a designer who would revitalise the British silk industry to a painter who would immortalise the Ancien Regime.

In the final programme of the series, Professor Amanda Vickery explores the explosion of creative opportunities for women as the 20th Century dawned. Travelling from London and Paris to the remote Swedish countryside and the bleak desert landscape of New Mexico; this was a time where western women were demanding ever increasing roles across society and female artists found the strength to push the boundaries of art even further.