What is a Feminist intervention???

It seems that the challenge posed by the traditional approach to art history, as construted by Vasari in his book 'Le Vite De' piu eccelenti Architetti, Pittori et Scultori Italiani' is that it is heavily biased towards the "white upper-class male". The basic historical canon was formed purely on value judgements, where only men were accorded the title 'genius', a title which was not restricted to singular use, but was purposefully constructed as a "universal measure applicable to all mankind." [Nanette Salomon, 'The Art Historical Canon', (1998)]
What Vasari developed was a system which measured artistic talent, not on the object or aesthetic success, but rather on the biographical understanding, thus the invention of the 'artist'. He considered the artist a free man, with all possibilities before him. In her text Nanette Salomon considers this ultimately restrictive to women, based on sociological restrictive conditions that were masculinely imposed, therefore occluding entry to women. When they were considered they were treated as 'exceptions', in the singular, and through this treatment never able to go beyond something which stands as mystical, an exceptional case which becomes magical and then is placed into another sub category.

to rectify this problem do we simply include women artists into the Canon. Already formed it has been the basis for the production of art and he writing of its history. Simple inclusion is not enough.

"The uncritical insertion of women artists into the pre-existing structure of art as a discipline tends to confirm rather than challenge the prejudicial tropes through which women's creativity is dismissed" [Nanette Salomon, Art Historical Canon, (1998)]

What Salomon points out here, is that by continuing to rely upon the 'traditional' approach to writing and understand history of art, we do not open up the arena for total and equal inclusion for women. The Vasari approach to art history is based on value judgements, and comparisons. The simple placement of women into this canon will allow them to be seen but they will always be the minor, in a "major minor relationship."

What becomes clear is that to enable the inclusion of women is not a simple ressurection of souls from the ashes of masculine thought, but rather it requires a totally new framework for analysis.
Salomon states that these questions, directed at simple inclusion, are 'outside' the point, and "they remain unanswerable because they are wraught with essentially the same methodological tools tht so restrictively govern the traditional art historical enterprise"

So the 'Feminist Intervention', which this module is about, does not simply work to put women back in the frame, along with their male counterparts, but it challenges the traditional methods by which they were excluded in the first place. It not only enables women to be studied but it also will enable a better understanding of their male counterparts. It opens up a space, an arena where these issues can be played out, without the bias of male dominance.