Women, Aging, and Art: A Crosscultural Anthology

What images come to mind with the words women , aging , old , even elderly ? Are they stereotypes? Are there any positive associations? The thirteen contributions to this edited volume explore a broad range of images of old women, ranging from medieval old wives to contemporary re-imaginations of shamans and witches and empowering self-portraits. Works from medieval Europe to colonialtime Polynesia, present West Africa, Japan, and the Americas, in a multiplicity of media are explored in detail. These studies of varied representations of old women offer fresh perspectives and an engaging dialogue about society’s values and preconceptions regarding the wisdom of our elders and the golden years in different times and cultures.