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Impressionism was the art movement from about the 1860s to the early twentieth century. Impressionist women were painted during a time of great discovery and aristocracy, and many of the women painted appear to be middle or upper class. These women were expected to play the role of daughter and eventually a good wife. Furthermore, women were also relatively inferior to the men. Now, women are generally accepted more in society equal to men and have become more independent and financially secure. With the continual growth of the media and photography, women are portrayed differently. During the Impressionist art movement it was difficult for women to establish themselves as artists and to do so they had to give up conventional family life. Mary Cassatt took years to be publicly acknowledged and accepted, whereas women like Tracey Emin can often have more opportunity to become part of the contemporary art scene. However, Cassatt was driven by her determination to become a successful woman artist of which she achieved and was reputable as one of the era’s finest painters. In the late nineteenth century there were many constraints on professional women artists such as no free state education for women in fine art, and many art schools did not admit women. In fact, women were thought to be better off at home making and mothering.
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