Women at Work: 1900 to Now

Women at Work: 1900 to Now reveals the research and new acquisitions from the National Portrait Gallery and CHANEL Culture Fund project, Reframing Narratives: Women in Portraiture. The book brings together key women in history and sheds light on their work and lasting influence in the UK and internationally. Women at Work: 1900 to Now will showcase a selection of 123 women from 1900 to the present day who have made significant contributions historically, culturally, socially and academically in Britain and beyond. It will explore with renewed attention, the achievements of women in all areas of society.
The book is structured around a timeline that focuses on one woman per year, reflecting significant events in their careers and lives, which will be discussed in extended captions and illustrated with portraits. This accessible presentation of the content as a timeline will help readers contextualise the work of these women in history.
Contributors punctuate the timeline with interspersed essays, highlighting the wider role of women in different fields including science, design, literature and activism, in addition to essays on self portraiture, celebrity culture, and photography. This approach will bring in new perspectives and allow the reader to make thematic connections across key periods.
The book will also feature quotes to include the voices of some of women featured - including excerpts from their poetry, writing, lectures or interviews. The book aims to give a more balanced and comprehensive view of history that highlights important contributions of women.