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The Dinner Party
Describes and illustrates a multimedia exhibit that celebrates the achievements of more than one thousand women in Western culture, discussing the exhibit's origin and aesthetic and historical meaning
204 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 28, 2007
Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party: A Symbol of Our Heritage is a revolution in a book. Although much has changed radically in the past few decades, Chicago's book is still relevant, and it most certainly suggests that there is and always has been, room for everyone at the table. When I was 28-years-old I was browsing the art book stacks and Chicago's book fell off the shelf into my hands (I've come to accept this type of occurence - sometimes as Fate, and sometimes as somebody on the other side of the shelf returning a book a little too forcefully). All histrionics aside, I can say I left the library that day a different person. I went to college, I'm a reader, I try to stay informed, and yet, I had never heard of the majority of these women or their accomplishments or contributions to the world. Ever heard of Martia Proba from 4th Century Rome? No, probably not, but you're aware of trial by jury (her idea). Rosalyn Rusch? (she commanded fees for her floral paintings Rembrandt would have killed for), and so on... Not to mention all the advances in science, mathmatics, art, politics, religion, pretty much everything that was attributed incorrectly, or not at all. In addition to learning about amazing women,of course there is Chicago's beautiful artwork to saturate your senses. A hearty feast of a book!
June 20, 2007
This book tells about the struggle and hardship and joy of the process of creating The Dinner Party. Part of it is Judy Chicago's actual journal of the time where she writes about the problems and doubts that are resulting from the difficulties she is having makeing her dream of this exhibit become a reality.
I think it is helpful as a historical document so that generations of women will know what really happened during the creative process. I also believe that we can all learn from the trials and mistakes experienced by our foremothers.
Highly recommended.
Oh yeah, I picked this up at the Friends of the Public Library book sale. SCORE!
I think it is helpful as a historical document so that generations of women will know what really happened during the creative process. I also believe that we can all learn from the trials and mistakes experienced by our foremothers.
Highly recommended.
Oh yeah, I picked this up at the Friends of the Public Library book sale. SCORE!
September 20, 2017
How have I not heard of this exhibition before now? The Dinner Party as an art installation began its tour in 1979 at the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco. I guess it's true all that Judy Chicago says about women's struggle for recognition!
It is well worth reading and if you can, visit the exhibition, but the book tells you so much more. The book has an index in the back that is fabulous for re-referring to, something I shall be doing for a while. I want to remember all of these women.
I read about it recently in The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd. She had seen the exhibition and done further research on Sarah Grimke that inspired her to write her book. And so inspired us to find out about the dinner party.
Why did Judy Chicago embark on this creation? She tells you at the beginning of the book - in part, because her UCLA teacher told her class that women made NO contribution to European intellectual history. Knowing that wasn't possible, she did her own research and laid three tables of thirteen place settings to give recognition to women throughout history. Thirty nine main place settings and supporting names making up 999 women that deserve recognition.
It was mostly made by volunteers and after its initial successful tour stayed crated for years before being exhibited once again at the Brooklyn Museum in 2002, who then created a permanent space for it from 2007 until today.
People ask, "Why have there been no great women artists?" Judy Chicago says, better to ask, "Why are there so many significant women artists who remain unknown or under-recognised?"
One reason is the triple struggle of women - work, childcare and housework!
William Wordsworth borrowed freely from his sister, Dorothy's writings. She wrote regularly about the beauties of nature, but also wrote in her journal of her endless chores as William's housekeeper, noting, "William, of course, never does anything." You may be surprised to learn which famous men 'borrowed' from womenfolk!
Sarah Grimke who started my interest in The Dinner Party campaigned for the abolition of slavery as well as for women's rights and she said, "All we ask of our brethren is that they will take their feet from off our necks."
It is well worth reading and if you can, visit the exhibition, but the book tells you so much more. The book has an index in the back that is fabulous for re-referring to, something I shall be doing for a while. I want to remember all of these women.
I read about it recently in The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd. She had seen the exhibition and done further research on Sarah Grimke that inspired her to write her book. And so inspired us to find out about the dinner party.
Why did Judy Chicago embark on this creation? She tells you at the beginning of the book - in part, because her UCLA teacher told her class that women made NO contribution to European intellectual history. Knowing that wasn't possible, she did her own research and laid three tables of thirteen place settings to give recognition to women throughout history. Thirty nine main place settings and supporting names making up 999 women that deserve recognition.
It was mostly made by volunteers and after its initial successful tour stayed crated for years before being exhibited once again at the Brooklyn Museum in 2002, who then created a permanent space for it from 2007 until today.
People ask, "Why have there been no great women artists?" Judy Chicago says, better to ask, "Why are there so many significant women artists who remain unknown or under-recognised?"
One reason is the triple struggle of women - work, childcare and housework!
William Wordsworth borrowed freely from his sister, Dorothy's writings. She wrote regularly about the beauties of nature, but also wrote in her journal of her endless chores as William's housekeeper, noting, "William, of course, never does anything." You may be surprised to learn which famous men 'borrowed' from womenfolk!
Sarah Grimke who started my interest in The Dinner Party campaigned for the abolition of slavery as well as for women's rights and she said, "All we ask of our brethren is that they will take their feet from off our necks."
April 6, 2023
Ondanks de terechte kritiek, is het bewonderingswaardig om te lezen hoe het werk is ontstaan
November 27, 2012
I had the good fortune to acquire this commemorative volume at the 1996 showing of Judy Chicago's "Dinner Party" in Los Angeles. The room-sized artwork itself is intended to describe the struggle of women throughout history to achieve full participation in society and it makes extensive use of the traditional "feminine" art of needlework.
The book would, I think, give an excellent idea of the installation for anyone who has never seen it. There is one color plate of the entire room with its dimmed lighting that conveys the atmosphere of near religious awe experienced by those who walked slowly and quietly around it. Additional color plates show close-ups of the individual place settings and details of embroidery.
The book also has a section for each of the historical periods, with biographies of the women honored, as well as an introduction that describes the creation of the work and its early, controversial years.
The book would, I think, give an excellent idea of the installation for anyone who has never seen it. There is one color plate of the entire room with its dimmed lighting that conveys the atmosphere of near religious awe experienced by those who walked slowly and quietly around it. Additional color plates show close-ups of the individual place settings and details of embroidery.
The book also has a section for each of the historical periods, with biographies of the women honored, as well as an introduction that describes the creation of the work and its early, controversial years.
February 24, 2016
I was fortunate to see this incredible, and somewhat shocking, work of art in Calgary in the late 80's. Unfortunately, it's so large, I believe it is being stored rather than on display at this time. Therefore, the book substitutes and tells the story of how the work was the collected effort of numerous women with Judy Chicago's direction. I see this is the feminist response to Freud's notion of penis envy.
November 17, 2009
Judy Chicago is an amazing artist. This book proves it. She takes you through the entire process and the best part is that this rendition is written almost 40 years after "The Dinner Party's" original showing. Once again, she provides the reader with explanations of the 999 women represented in the work.
November 17, 2009
This book was published shortly after, if not right alongside, the first exhibition of "The Dinner Party". I found the background information surrounding this work extremely illuminating. Judy Chicago is amazing and this book and work support my statement. This is a must read for anyone interested in art or the history of women. She gives information for all 999 women featured in her piece.
May 10, 2016
A beautiful coffee table book of a woman's art masterpiece. You just have to see it to appreciate it. I always hoped that I would see this art in person, but it never happened. Chicago is the feminist's voice in art and I praise her relentlessly.
January 7, 2008
A wonderful color-photo edition of Chicago's infamous installation, The Dinner Party.
February 5, 2010
Great comprehensive book on The Dinner Party. It really delves into every part of the project with great information about every woman represented and history. A beautiful book.
January 8, 2023
I have decided to abandon this book. I received the hardback edition as a gift, and have had it out to read for such a long time - but I never want to read it. Sorry Judy Chicago. I've tried reading a couple of pages a day, but reading about a list of people is not easy for me. I also found it frustrating that the paragraphs about the women of history are headed in an elaborate font in a faint colour that I found difficult to read, so that I was not even sure of their names sometimes.
This book is about a famous and inspiring art installation, but the book has very little to say about art. It is basically an encyclopaedia of the women in history associated with the various sections of the artwork. Unfortunately the index does not cross-reference so you cannot actually use it like an encyclopaedia.
My disappointment with the book is entirely subjective. I wanted to know about the artwork. It is important and interesting to read about all these women, and valuable research to list them. I do not wish to detract from the importance of that work, but I wanted to know about the art. I also add a warning that much of it is gruesome reading. Women have been abused and ill-treated throughout history, simply for being clever and capable, and having the courage to be active in their field of interest.
This book is about a famous and inspiring art installation, but the book has very little to say about art. It is basically an encyclopaedia of the women in history associated with the various sections of the artwork. Unfortunately the index does not cross-reference so you cannot actually use it like an encyclopaedia.
My disappointment with the book is entirely subjective. I wanted to know about the artwork. It is important and interesting to read about all these women, and valuable research to list them. I do not wish to detract from the importance of that work, but I wanted to know about the art. I also add a warning that much of it is gruesome reading. Women have been abused and ill-treated throughout history, simply for being clever and capable, and having the courage to be active in their field of interest.
March 15, 2020
A great jumping-off point for so many underrated or virtually unknown women, but I would recommend doing independent research if you are interested in any particular woman’s story as there are (and the creator admits this) some factual errors, like the assumption of Marianne Beth’s death on page 200 which just the year of her death will tell you is not true! And of course it’s a shame that arguably the most outspoken of the Brontes (Anne) isn’t even included alongside her sisters.
But as a broad if shallow spread of incredible women from all different fields, it is exceptional, and the detailed pictures of the ceramic and textile work are exquisite. I am glad they took so much care to photograph them well so that we could linger over them.
But as a broad if shallow spread of incredible women from all different fields, it is exceptional, and the detailed pictures of the ceramic and textile work are exquisite. I am glad they took so much care to photograph them well so that we could linger over them.
September 23, 2025
This book, a 250 page explanation of the author's "Dinner Party," might reasonably be seen as an admission that the work is a failure, which does not speak for itself. The painted ceramic plates which are central to the work (and which are the focus of much of this book) range, imho, from dull to hideous.
This book's value is in the 999 biographical sketches of "Women of Achievement," many of whom are historically obscure. The sketches cannot be recommended as history, however (those of persons known to this reader contain errors and claims that are plain silly) but for historygeeks enthusiasts they are a good resource for identifying historical figures who deserve more research and study.
This book's value is in the 999 biographical sketches of "Women of Achievement," many of whom are historically obscure. The sketches cannot be recommended as history, however (those of persons known to this reader contain errors and claims that are plain silly) but for history
March 4, 2017
I saw the work in London back in the 80s I believe. Was moved by Chicago's tenacity in achieving her creative vision. It was not easy back then to be a female doing large-scale art about females and feminism. This book, good.
August 17, 2020
I thought I knew, but I had no clue. What a staggering and sobering Artwork.
September 5, 2021
Incredible.
April 30, 2023
Excellent book detailing this amazing art installation.
May 22, 2024
Very informative and fascinating, but there were too many typos and historical inaccuracies.
to-read-non-fict
October 8, 2011I want this book SO much.
July 17, 2024
Amazing!
August 12, 2017
I do like the idea and some of the details are great but the selected figures, the groupings, and some of the representations ....
Re the essays, there are only three and none of them (one of which is by chicago) are at all critical.
Re the essays, there are only three and none of them (one of which is by chicago) are at all critical.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews