Overcoming gender stereotypes in professional fine arts at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries

Access to art education in Russia was long restricted for women, which undoubtedly affected the presence of women in this creative profession. Women could obtain art education primarily due to their family background, in which there were already artists. The situation began to change in the second half of the 19th century. Women such as E. Polenova, E. Luksh-Makovsky, A. Makovsky, E. Junge, A. Venetsianova, and O. Lagoda-Shishkina made a huge contribution to the development of visual arts. Through their work, they overcame the myth transmitted by society that women before the 20th century were unable to express themselves in art.