Girl Drawing 1918

Wanda Gág made this etching, 'Girl Drawing', at an unknown date. It depicts a young woman, caught in the act of creating. It's worth noting that Gág's artistic journey wasn't straightforward. She took on commercial work to support her family. It's possible to see this image as the artist's way of reclaiming her own identity. Made in the United States, the artwork invites us to consider the social and gendered expectations placed on women during Gág's time. What was the public role of art? In what ways were women involved in the institutions of art? What was the relationship between gender and class? To fully appreciate 'Girl Drawing' we might explore other works by Gág, accounts of women artists at the time, and histories of art institutions. The meaning of this artwork is contingent on its social and institutional context.