09 Mar “Unique Women: Legacy of Four Pioneering Artists” with Cases Singulares
On International Women’s Day, Cases Singulars organised a conference at UIC Barcelona: “Women artists paint unique women.” The current edition looked at the artistic careers of four pioneering women of the late nineteenth century: actress Sarah Bernhardt, writer Dolors Monserdà, dancer Loïe Fuller and modernist painter Lluïsa Vidal.
Led by Dean Judith Urbano, the faculty of Humanities celebrated a new cycle of conferences in collaboration with Casas Singulares. The current edition looked at the artistic careers of four pioneering women of the late nineteenth century: actress Sarah Bernhardt, writer Dolors Monserdà, dancer Loïe Fuller and modernist painter Lluïsa Vidal. At the time, they were all renowned in their respective artistic fields.
Sarah Bernhardt (1844–1923) was a famous actress who performed in over 140 plays and founded her own company. Known as “divine Sarah”, she also worked as a sculptor, and as a costume and set designer. Among her performances, Hernani stands out, where she played Doña Sol, launching her to fame. She also played male roles in Hamlet and toured the world for two years, with as many as 80 trunks full of her belongings. On her return she bought the Theâtre de la Renaissance and directed it for five years.
Dolors Monserdà (1845-1919) was a writer, playwright and poet, winner of two prizes at the Jocs Florals of Barcelona and was its first president in 1909. She wrote the novel Montserrat, the first Catalan novel written by a woman. Monserdà’s writing had both a moral intention and a female perspective. Committed to social and feminist causes, she promoted initiatives such as the Patronat per a les Obreres de l’Agulla (Board of Needleworkers), which provided free medical care, training and sewing materials.
Loïe Fuller (1862–1928) was a revolutionary dancer and artist who took full advantage of the artistic possibilities of electricity in the theatre. She began her career at the age 16 and returned to the United States to create a dance show with large displays of fabric and light. In 1892 she travelled to Paris and her “Serpentine Dance” premiered at the Folies Bergère. Her electrifying performances and colourful displays made her an immediate hit and caught the attention of artists of the times like Ramon Casas.
Finally, Lluïsa Vidal (1876-1918) was a modernist painter specialising in portraits, still lifes and landscapes. Her work was heavily influenced by Art Nouveau, and she studied with Ramon Casas and Isidre Nonell. Female figures and everyday objects were common in her paintings. . She was a member of the influential Catalan artistic collective Els Quatre Gats and admired by painters such as Joaquim Mir and Santiago Rusiñol.
