The Voices of Women Artists - Cecilia Beaux by Slatkin - Article Example

The most important information in this article is that Cecilia had support from her family. Most art students and especially females in the 1890s mostly had to face criticism from both their families and society. While Beaux had to face certain opposition from her uncle, he finally relented to providing her the required exposure. Her uncle was of the view that Cecilia ‘was a seemly girl and would probably marry. Why should (she) be thrown into a rabble of untidy and indiscriminate art students’ (Slatkin, 158).

Even when Cecilia began her first project, she had great support from her family. She sister agreed to pose for her despite this being a tedious job. She also helped in setting the props for the picture. Even her uncle supported her to get her art lessons. Also, it was her friend who convinced Cecilia that her picture was worth being displayed in The Salon. The main inferences in this article are that Cecilia did not have the most advantageous lifestyle and yet she rose as one of the most respected and popular American portrait painters.

She did not have a proper tutor to help her develop finesse in her work. She only had a part-time teacher who also did not complete her training as an art student. The key concept that we need to understand in this article is art is not looked upon as the most favored profession even among the traditional families today. When Cecilia began her career, there were very few women artists in Philadelphia. Also, we need to understand that it in order to become a proper artist; one needs a mentor or a guide who will teach the student the tricks of the trade.

Cecilia did not have the advantage and yet she gained immense popularity. The main assumption underlying the author’s thinking is that Cecilia was a great portrait artist and that her ability was inborn. Though she met with Monet yet she continued on with her own unique style. The main point of view is to present an intimate view into the life of the artist. I agree with the opinion of the author. Cecilia painted her first picture amid some difficulties and hurdles. She was not trained enough to handle such a painting but it was the inborn talent inside her that led to the creation of a masterpiece.