Women in the public teaching of art in Spain at the turn of the century. The case of Francisca García Ortiz (1853-1923)

Abstract

This article touches on women’s access to public artistic training in Barcelona at the end of the 19th century, taking as a connecting thread Francisca García Ortiz (1853-1923), who remains unknown figure to this date. As the first teacher of the Escuela de Dibujo para Niñas y Adults of the city (opened in 1883) García is a pioneer in the teaching of art in our recent history. In this article we analyze her professional career and her contribution as a teacher of drawing and painting in classes aimed exclusively at female students. The article presents interesting data about the stages of the academic career around 1900 and the limitations experienced by women in this context. Other women artists and teachers who played a leading role in the first decades of female presence in the teaching of the arts in the city, are also mentioned and located. Ultimately, their example provides a broader reflection on the trajectory of women in the public educational institutions of the moment and their paths toward professionalism in Spain at the turn of the century.