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Cimone Trout
Fonda Portales
ART-HIST 355
November 5, 2014

Midterm Essay Question

2. Explain how both male and female gender was constructed during the early Italian
Renaissance. Use at least three examples of artwork (with artist and title) to illustrate your
thesis statement.
In the Early Italian Renaissance, the male and female gender were both largely
constructed around marriage. Marriage was seen as essential to the growth and prosperity of
ones family and the basis of a moral life and was seen as the foundation of Italian society.
Though, public and private spheres of influence also shaped male and female gender roles
boundary between each respective sphere and the gender they were associated with was not
definitive. In marriage, on the other hand, husband and wives both had specified contributions,
responsibilities and were expect to fulfill their roles. If they did not, their failures affected their
spouses reputation and their family as a whole. Overall, the needs of the individual was not seen
as important as the needs of the many (Tigali, 21).
Within Paola Tigalis Women, Men and Society: Painted Marriage Furniture she states
that the main societal role of a man was to marry, increase his family and the more sons meant
more prosperity for his family as well (21-22). The obvious female counter part to the males role
was to bear and raise children, but they were also meant to be dutiful, supportive, obedient and
faithful to their husbands. By fulfilling these obligation adequately, husbands and wives could
improve their familys power and earn the respect of their peers as well.
Portraiture in the Renaissance reflected male and female gender roles. Some interesting
examples featured in Women in Frames by Patricia Simons include Filippo Lippis Double
Portrait of a Man and a Woman, Piero della Francescas Battista Sforza and Federico Da
Montefeltro and Sandro Botticellis Profile Portrait of a Lady. Each example reflects the
construction of male and female gender roles, their relation to one another and how marriage
defines each spouse in a specific manner.

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In Filippo Lippis Double Portrait of a Man and Woman, he portrays a man and woman
in a curious arrangement that is very revealing of each individuals prescribed role and also their
regard and respect for one anothers dutys (Simmons, 11). As can be seen, the woman dominates
the picture frame, but is enclosed in a small room. The man is less dominant in the painting, he
inhabits the area outside the womans space yet he is allowed to peer in, though their eyes do not
meet. Ultimately, the female is allowed dominance in her own space and the man is allowed to
view her space and not intrude. These two figures are most likely betrothed or soon to be married
because of their physical separation, thus suggesting chastity, and lack of visual connection.
Also, the females more dominant presence may also reflect how women were subjected more
frequently by the gaze of others and is a part of her gender role to present herself respectfully
before marriage and after marriage. In this portrait in particular, the womens appearance both
reflects her family and her future family with her betrothed.
The painting of Battista Sforza and Federico Da Montefeltro by Piero della Francesca,
each individual is allowed to occupy their own space and is the main subject in each of their
panels. Although they are separated, the shared background and the connection of their gazes
unites them and suggest a partnership, yet their presence is very different from one another.
Simmons comments on their opposing portrayals and says that, Both ruler and woman are
typecast and stand for more than their individual selves, but the male is constructed as a more
active, dominant figure (17). Federico seems to be less adorned, stern and emits a sense of
strength due to his larger size and direct gaze. Battista, naturally, is more adorn yet modest in
order to show the wealth and morality of her family and successfulness of her husband, but she is
also quite pale and her posture and facial features emits a sense of submissiveness to Federico.
All in all, these two portraits show how marriage is seen as complimentary during the
Renaissance, yet the woman plays a more supportive role and depends on her husband for status.
Lastly, we have Botticellis Profile Portrait of a Lady. This is a later portrait and was
painted in the 1480s, about forty years after the other three paintings I have discussed so far. By
this time period, portraits of woman are becoming less restricted to a strong profile and are not
stopping at the chest as often. Although this portrait is in profile, Botticelli shows the woman all
the way to her waist, yet because she is in profile we still depend on her sense of character by
what she is wearing. This woman is likely unmarried and was meant to emphasize her modesty,
chastity, humility, peity and purity due to her minimal adornment and the exaggeration of her

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neck which is unnaturally long. Paintings of maidens such as this one, was meant to reflect the
morality of the womans family and were mean to be subjected to the judgment of others,
typically males but also older women that potential would use this picture to determine if she
were a suitable wife for her sons. Even though the strict profile for female portraits is becoming
less fashionable by the 1480s, showing women in profile was culturally significant and
Simmons states that, the women portrayed in profile were displayed and visible objects, and
yet they are removed from 'worldly distractions'. They are inactive objects gazing elsewhere,
decorously averting their eyes. In this sense they are chaste, if not virginal, framed if not (quite)
cloistered (Simmons, 17). In essence, Boticellis use of the profile for this womans portrait
reinforces the same messages of morality that her adornment suggests as well. Therefore, we can
deduced that purity and modesty were seen as ideal feminine qualities and were essential to
determining whether or not an available young woman would make a suitable wife. Given all
these points, we can see that how young women presented themselves largely affected their
future livelihood and this shows how the female gender during the Italian Renaissance was
largely constructed to support their male counterparts in marriage as dutiful wives.
Given the evidence gathered from these two articles and these four Italian Renaissance
portraits, we can see that marriage was at the heart of the construction of male and female gender
roles and each genders societal responsibilities. Although each role was complimentary and not
entirely restricted to one sphere of influence when in marriage, the wifes role, to a great extent,
is to obey and support their husband and their power in their community was dependent on their
husband as well. On the other hand, males also benefited largely from marriage because it could
only further his familys wealth and the more sons he had meant more potential prosperity.
Overall, even though married life had different meanings for men and women during the Italian
Renaissance, a marriage was the main goal for both male and females and was the main element
that constructed each gender roles in their culture.

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Works Cited
Simons, Patricia. "Women in Frames, the Gaze, the Eye, the Profile in Renaissance
Portraiture." History Workshop Journal. 25.1 (1988): 4-30. Online. 4 November, 2014.
Tinagli, Paola. Women, Men and Society: Painted Marriage Furniture. Women in Italian
Renaissance Art: Gender, Representation, and Identity. Manchester: Manchester
University Press, 1997: 20-25. Online. 4 November, 2014.