Women have been muses for famed male artists throughout history. Kiki de Montparnasse, photographed by Man Ray, to Patti Smith, who inspired Robert Mapplethorpe, to Georgia O’Keeffe, who posed for Alfred Stieglitz; the depiction of women by men is endless. While each photographer tried to highlight the subject, their images are often deeply rooted in one dimension—that of a stunning muse. However, such instances are not limited to art, where women are often subjected to one role throughout their entire lives—friend, lover, wife, mother, source of inspiration, or attractive stranger. Even in what is deemed to be more progressive careers, such as politics, business, law, sports, human rights, and more, women have consistently fought to be seen and recognized without being subjected to one box. While patriarchy still continues to subvert the success and brilliance of women, one photographer has been enthusiastically trying to portray them as “human beings”: Annie Lebovitz.
