En kvinnlig 1800-talskonstnär i nya digitala källor: : Emma Toll (1847–1917) liv och verk

Sammanfattning: Art history research, both Swedish and international, has highlighted only a few of the female artists who began their studies in the mid-1860s, in contrast to later female academy students. This in contrast to the larger and smaller groups of male artists who paved the way for other men and consequently whose work and portrayal are more often canonized. Thus, this project’s central research questions revolve around canon, the problematization of historical linearity, but also the potential of changing the width these questions arise, by adding subject matter retrieved by new methods of media archeology. The ongoing digitization makes fact-finding intriguing. Greater knowledge based on combining older sources supplemented with digitized sources available offers new possibilities to add to previous feminist research. The mentions of Emma Toll in the press during her life interact with today’s evaluation of her work at auctions. Examined examples of Emma Toll’s life and work could be used to enlarge and reflect on what is specific to her in her time. From such a perspective, a more epistemological question of how new knowledge of the past in the future can be even more adapted academically is further investigated. I will also initially rise questions on how this academic project is mirroring ongoing trends of curatorial practice of exhibiting women artists that previously have been obscured in art history and more specific from my perspective, female nineteenth century artists. The aim is to show and provide new perspectives on nineteenth century art and the relevance of giving prominence to the work of more female artists from this period, perhaps using the same methods I have endeavored. The results obtained in this casestudy suggests and proves Emma Toll as one female artist amongst many who needs and should be included in arthistorical canon of female 19th centuty artists from Sweden. There is material obtained on her life and work that could be extended into more extended academic focus. It also not only provesthis type of quantitative information collected a susscess, but it also shows why this work is important and should therefore lead forward to several more studies of female artists from her generation, the material is indeed out there to explore.