top of page
Senior Thesis-Vanishing figures; The legacies of History's Powerful, Controversial Women
Malinche, oil on canvas, 24x36
Born around 1500 in present-day Mexico, Malinche was an Aztec woman given as a gift initially to conquistador Hernán Cortéz. Due to her linguistic abilities, being able to translate Nahuatl and Maya into Spanish, she became instrumental to the conquistadors. She accompanied them on their most important journey, to the Aztec kingdom of Tenochtitlan to meet and negotiate with Moctezuma. She was also the mother of Cortéz ' son, Martín. For her contributions to the Spanish, Malinche was given a small estate, or encomienda. Malinche died of unknown causes in around 1527. While often viewed as both the mother of modern Mexico as well as a traitor to her people, Malinche has gotten a more positive and nuanced view in modern Mexican art and culture.
Eva Péron, oil on canvas, 30x24
Born in 1919, a teenage Eva moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina to pursue her dreams of becoming an actress, and with her ambitions, she found success. Along the way, Eva met Juan Péron, a general who'd eventually be elected president of Argentina by the fascist 'Péronist' party. Beloved and hated by the people, Eva's personality and love for her people made her a star, before she passed away 1952 from what was likely cervical cancer. While she always stated her love and intentions to her people, she was still complicit and active in a government that harmed them, and her complicated and striking legacy is the subject of a lot of media and discussion.
Hatshepsut, oil on canvas, 24x36
Likely born in 1507 BCE, Hatshepsut went on to have the longest royal reign of any woman that we know of in ancient history, beginning as regent for her young stepson/nephew, Thutmosis III. Eventually, in an incredibly bold political move, Hatshepsut promoted herself to co-king, even depicting herself as a king in artwork and wearing the beard and headdress of a male king. Eventually, Hatshepsut passed away around 1458 BCE. Many surviving ruins of her mortuary temple at karnak, depicted in the background, include murals of Hatshepsut interacting with the goddess Hathor in cow form, a striking image I decided to depict.
Anne Boleyn, Oil on canvas, 30x24
Born around 1500 into the aristocratic and infamous Boleyn family, The intelligent and cultured Anne spent her teen years being educated in France. Anne met King Henry VII when she moved to court and became a lady in waiting to Katherine of Aragon, Henry's first wife. Henry ended up creating the protestant Church of England in order to annul his Marriage with the Catholic Katherine after she failed to produce a male heir. Anne gave birth to the woman who would become Queen Elizabeth I before a series of miscarriages, and no male heir. Anne was likely framed for treason and infidelity and sentenced to death by beheading in on the 15th of May, 1536. I had the idea to place two ladies in waiting at Anne's side before her execution, illustrating the split factions and lurking deceit that lead to her death.
Wu Zetian, oil on canvas, 24x36
Born in 625 CE to a wealthy merchant family, Wu would go on to become the only woman in Chinese history to have her own imperial dynasty. She started in the palace as the teenage concubine of emperor Tang Taizong. The next Emperor, his son Gaozong, loved Wu, and eventually promoted her to be his Empress. Together, they created a successful and beloved government by promoting more commoners based on merit rather than aristocracy. After Gaozong's passing, Wu served as regent for her sons, Zhongzhong and Ruizhong. At the age of 70, she usurped them both and created her own Dynasty, the Zhou, which lasted 10 years. In 705 CE, due to a coup attempt and her old age, she abdicated to Zhongzhong, and soon later passed away.
Billie Holiday, oil on canvas, 30x24
Born in 1915 in Philadelphia, Eleanora Fagan had a very traumatic childhood but always loved music. She moved to New York City with her mother and was performing in clubs as Billie Holiday by the early 1930s, with her first record in 1933. Her incredible vocals revolutionized and changed American music forever. Bold and audacious for her time, Holiday is most famous for her song 'Strange Fruit', a song that spoke up openly against the lynching epidemic of the time. Eventually, her political statements and drug usage caught up with her and Holiday was arrested and sent to prison for position of narcotics in 1947. After her incarceration, Holiday toured Europe and lived out the few years she had left, passing away in 1959 at the age of 47.
bottom of page