Baya Mahieddine and Janet Sobel: The Women Written out of Art History

By Sarah Kennelly (Arts &Literature Editor) 

Simone de Beauvoir once said, “a man attaches himself to a woman – not to enjoy her, but to enjoy himself”. Women artists are too often a beacon of inspiration for the men who go on to outshine them. This admiration could be seen as innocent if so many women weren’t relegated to the shadows of the art sphere. 

Baya Mahieddine and Janet Sobel created art that fascinated some of the most household names in the art industry. From Pablo Picasso to Jackson Pollock, these cultural icons would not have made their mark had it not been for these women. Yet Mahieddine and Sobel are names that are unknown to most. And if you have heard of them it was almost definitely in relation to the men who overshadowed them. They were pushed to the ultimate periphery of the art world, despite the monumental impact they had on it. 

Baya Mahieddine, who prefers to be referred to as Baya, was born in 1931 in Algeria. Tragedy struck her childhood when she became orphaned at the age of five. Yet, the trajectory of her life changed when a famous French art dealer, Marguerite Caminat adopted her. Although Caminat’s role was supposed to be motherly, reports have suggested that she acted more like an employer. Baya was often treated like a servant and became responsible for completing household duties. This dynamic was a product of the strong colonial roots still present in Algeria at that time. 

Her mother became far more interested in their relationship once she found the curious clay figures Baya was creating. Living in an artistic household was the perfect environment for Baya’s creativity to flourish. An endless stash of art supplies meant that she could bear the fruits of her natural talent. From clay dolls to bold surrealist paintings, the artistry of her work was clear from a young

age. Caminat encouraged Baya to expand her artistic horizons and was blown away by the results. 

Rather than trying to emulate the Western-style paintings her mother collected, she created totally unique pieces. She drew inspiration from her memories and experiences as a young Algerian and channelled this into her art. This resulted in paintings filled with beautiful fluid forms and figures that were unlike anything in the 1940s art scene. 

In a bid to showcase the talent of her daughter, Caminat used her contacts in the art industry to platform Baya’s work. At the ripe age of 16, she had her first exhibition in Paris. This caught the attention of revered artists like Pablo Picasso and Henri Mattise. They became fascinated with the talent of this young prodigy but Picasso was particularly impressed. His interest in what he called “tribal” African art drew him to Baya’s creations. He eventually invited her to become his mentee in 1948. During this time, he was said to draw inspiration from her creativity whilst she learned the tricks of the trade. 

The reception of her art was overwhelmingly positive but it stemmed from a colonial mindset that portrayed Baya as an “other”. The descriptions of her work as “tribal” and “childlike” neglected the seriousness of her career as an artist. Many figures in the art world saw Baya as an “exotic” Algerian and focused more on her “rags to riches” origins than her art. 

Picasso also heavily reinforced this image of Baya. His view of Baya as a “naive” artist and fetishization of her “orientalism” was a disservice to her talent and set the tone for how others would perceive her art. She became known only in relation to Picasso and this perpetuated a narrative that saw Baya as a damsel in distress saved by a white hero. 

Regardless, Baya never fell victim to these impressions and continued to create art that defied the West’s prejudiced views of Algerians. Her work

continued to be rooted in her deeply personal experiences as a young African woman moving in white circles. 

Despite their similarities, the perception of Picasso’s art was entirely different from Baya’s. His work was described as “revolutionary” and “visionary” which was a stark contrast to the “childlike” descriptions Baya received. He became known as the father of modern art whilst Baya’s gouache paintings were seen as pale in comparison. It was clear that this style of art would only be accepted if it came from a rich white man. 

Although Baya’s relationship with Picasso was supposed to be one of mutual benefit, he gained a lot more from it than she did. Her artistic vision acted as a continuous source of inspiration for his artworks. He emulated her style in many of his most famous paintings like Les Femmes d’Alger. However, Baya received little credit for her contribution to Picasso’s collection. The vibrant colours and surrealist shapes in her paintings became characteristic of the “Picasso” style, erasing her influence. He failed to publicly recognise the impact she had on his work and let her go unnoticed. 

Similarly, the influence Janet Sobel had on abstract expressionism has been largely forgotten. Born in 1893, she moved from Katerynoslav to New York with her widowed mother. She remained largely disconnected from the art world until she had children who she strongly encouraged to be artistic. The creative household she fostered inspired her to pick up a paintbrush. She was a grandmother by the time she started painting but her talent was obvious. Using various materials from her house, she painted on any scrap of paper she could find. 

Sobel developed a technique that later became known as “drip painting” which allowed her to create chaotic yet beautiful scenes of technicolour. It was her experience as a self-taught artist that allowed her to come up with new and exciting ways to create art. These methods ranged from using vacuum cleaners to eye droppers in order to splatter the paint across the canvas. Milky Way (1945) is a prime example of this innovative thinking which is a stunning abstract rendition of a galaxy. 

Her son was blown away by her artistic genius and began showing her paintings to his friends in the art industry. This created a buzz amongst critics who couldn't believe a “simple” housewife could create such interesting artworks. Peggy Guggenheim even took notice of her talent and showcased her work in a gallery exhibition in 1945. 

However, like Baya, Sobel’s work was reduced to the status of amateur, and her paintings were seen as “housewife art”. This disregarded her artistic skill by labelling her creations as a hobby. Critics refused to separate her identity as a stay-at-home mother from her paintings and this characterisation overshadowed them. 

Yet, when Jackson Pollock came on the scene, his abstract expressionist paintings were treated as revolutionary. Critics labelled him the creator of the “drip painting” and he did not correct their mistake. Pollock never once credited the work of Sobel despite admitting he had attended her 1945 exhibition. However, the influence of her work is clear throughout many of his paintings like Blue Poles (1952). His technique closely mirrored that of the “simple housewife” who critics labelled as irrelevant. Pollock solidified his place in the art canon whilst Sobel has been almost entirely forgotten. 

The erasure of Baya Mahieddine and Janet Sobel’s legacy is an injustice to art history. Their artistry set the foundations for countless contemporary art movements that we see today. Without them, Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock would not have created some of their most famous works. As de Beauvoir warned, these men studied their work not out of respect for their talents but for their own advancement. Thankfully, the artworks from these women are enjoying a resurgence but to remember them only in relation to these men is a disservice to their talent. Their legacy deserves a narrative that is independent from the men that dimmed it.