Helen Frankenthaler, a twentieth-century Abstract Expressionist painter, is widely recognized as a celebrated artist and contributor to American modern art. As she created art in the mid and late 1900s, much of the critical reception she received referenced her gender as a prominent factor in the way her art should be viewed. Frankenthaler’s work was defined as distinctly feminine. Her paintings were described as ‘lyrical’ and ‘delicate’ and her color palettes were associated with femininity and feminine sensuality. Other Abstract Expressionist paintings, predominantly created by male artists, were described as ‘bold,’ ‘firm,’ and ‘strong,’ even with paintings of a similar form and style to Frankenthaler’s. I argue that due to Frankenthaler’s gender and the stereotypes we associate with being female, she received gendered criticism that was distinctly different from what her male contemporaries received, and that because of this, her art was viewed as inferior, or less worthy, than art created by male artists at the time.

Molly would like to thank her faculty sponsor, Dr. Bradley Bailey, for their support of this project.