Celebrate Women's History Month with These 35 Female Painters of the 20th Century

Isabella Penn

Mar 2, 2024 9:00 AM EST

Happy National Women's Month to all the phenomenal female artists out there! Whether you're sneaking in a quick sketch between coffee breaks, splashing colors onto your canvas during a hectic lunch hour, or waiting for those precious moments when the house is finally quiet to unleash your creative magic, each and every one of you deserves a standing ovation.

As we kick off Women's History Month this March, let's channel the unstoppable spirit of Frida Kahlo's iconic eyebrows and give a massive shoutout to 35 trailblazing female painters who turned the 20th-century art world upside down. These ladies weren't just painting; they were rewriting the rules, breaking barriers, and leaving a legacy that continues to inspire artists of all genders today.
So, let's take a moment to celebrate these 35 fierce femmes and the countless other women who are currently leaving their mark on the art scene. They send the message from broad brushstrokes down to fine details in their masterpieces that women are not just sitting and watching history unfold; they are out there making history.
Here's to all the women who refuse to be confined by stereotypes or limitations, who embrace their uniqueness and use it to fuel their artistic endeavors. Let's raise a toast (or a paintbrush) to these history-making mavens, because they remind us all that when women come together and unleash their creativity, there's nothing they can't accomplish. Cheers to that!
And to keep the celebration going, read this next: 15 Films with Strong Female Leads Highlighting Feminine Power in Cinema to Add to Your Watchlist
01
Tamara de Lempicka

via Kasbah Salome

Self portrait (Tamara in a Green Bugatti) 1929
02
Frida Kahlo

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The Two Fridas, 1939
03
Suzanne Valadon

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The Blue Room (La chambre bleue), 1923
04
Marie Laurencin

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Acrobats, 1927
05
Hilma af Klint

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Evolution series, 1908
06
Grace Winifred Pailthorpe

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Vuelo de medianoche, 1936
07
Lee Krasner

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Bird talk, 1955
08
Georgia O'Keeffe

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Blue Flower (1918)
09
Paula Modersohn-Becker

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Young woman with flowers in a glass, 1902
10
Emilie Charmy

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La Loge, 1900
11
Jacqueline Marval

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Fantaisie sur Sylvie, c. 1910
12
Leonora Carrington

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La Maja del tarot, 1965
13
Dorotea Tanning

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A Mrs. Radcliffe called today, 1944
14
Romaine Brooks

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Ida Rubinstein, 1917
15
Laura Knight

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A dark pool , c. 1910s
16
Vanessa Bell

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The other room, 1930s
17
Helen Lundeberg

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The Red Planet, 1934
18
Vera Rockline

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Danseurs de tango, c. 1919
19
Alexandra Exter

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Construction, 1921
20
Sonia Delaunay

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Prismes e´lectriques, 1914
21
Helen Frankenthaler

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Swan Lake #2, 1961
22
Marlow Moss

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Composition in Red, Black and White, 1953
23
Ethel Wright

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The music room (portrait of Una Dugdale Duval), c. 1912
24
Gabriele Mu¨nter

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Breakfast of the birds, 1934
25
Elisabeth Nourse

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Les volets clos, 1910
26
Greta Knutson-Tzara

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Interior with woman and child, c.1940
27
Amrita Sher-Gil

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The little girl in blue, 1934
28
Gwen John

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A corner of the artist's room in Paris, c. 1908
29
Dora Carrington

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Spanish landscape with mountains, c. 1924
30
Kay Sage

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Le Passage, 1956
31
Rachel Baes

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Running girls, c. 1940
32
Rita Kernn-Larsen

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Oasen (1935)
33
Marcelle Cahn

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Adam and Eve (1938)
34
Marianne Von Werefkin

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Skaters, 1911
35
Marlene Dumas

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Genetic longing, 1984