It's no secret that history has been particularly unfair to women. Being written by men, in a world dominated by them, it was to be expected that the stories that were most talked about would be about people of the same gender. And although art is by nature an industry of progressive ideas, with openness to diversity, it is still no exception. Its effects are still noticeable today in a field where women are nowhere near reaching the auction records held by men.

In addition to women being largely restricted from participating in the arts, the few who defied the conventions of their time to pursue their profession did not receive the attention they deserved. But probably the saddest thing is that many were overshadowed by their male partners, reducing them to the title of “girlfriend of” or “wife of,” despite having their own artistic careers. Below we share some couples where this was the situation:

1. Gerda Taro

Gerta Pohorylle (Taro's real name) was a Polish Jew who, after the rise of the Nationalist German Workers party (the Nazi party), decided to emigrate to France, where she met the great love of her life, Andre Friedmann. Together they fell in love with photography, and aware that their Jewish names could prevent them from receiving media attention, they decided to create a fictional character through which they would sign all their photographs: the American war photographer, Robert Capa.

Because both used the same pseudonym, it is difficult to distinguish which photograph belongs to whom, aside from some commissions that were specifically given to Taro. What it is known is that Taro is considered the first female photojournalist to record a war and unfortunately, her career would be very brief, because she died at the age of 27 in an accident with a war tank during a battle in the Spanish Civil War.

2. Camille Claudel

Camille Claudel was a prominent French sculptor, who was for a period the pupil and partner of the sculptor Auguste Rodin. Despite receiving much artistic training from Rodin, Camille had her own particular style, characterized by much smaller and incredibly detailed sculpture figures where the emotions of pain, passion and love are palpable.

Rodin and Claudel had a stormy relationship, affected by Claudel's nervous breakdowns and Rodin's infidelity. Eventually their relationship ended, and Rodin continued to support the artistic career of his colleague and former partner through recommendations to gallery owners. However, Claudel's career was greatly affected by her emotional and psychological instability, which led her to destroy some of her own works and to be internet into a psychiatric hospital.

3. Dora Maar

Dora Maar is for many one of Pablo Picasso's great muses, but the reality is that Dora had her own artistic career, very independent of her relationship with the artist. Her photographic work developed in the fields of fashion, surrealism and social denunciation, and her images were well received by the artistic community of Paris.

Despite her being considered the only one of Picasso's partners who equaled him in intellect, the relationship ended after 8 years by the Spaniard's decision. Maar fell into a depression, which would cause a long interruption of her artistic work, which she would resume years later.

4. Lee Krasner

Descendant from a family of Russian immigrants, Lee Krasner was a New York artist who was a member of abstract expressionism. From the age of 14 she knew that she wanted to dedicate herself to the arts, and through scholarships, she trained at the Woman's Art School and the National Academy of Design. The person who most influenced her style was the German artist Hans Hofmann, who introduced her to abstract art and the European avant-garde.

One of the most notable characteristics of her career is her need to experiment without departing from abstraction. She was always constantly changing, trying different materials, techniques and colors. She was also a strong representative of the feminist movement in New York, and fought for the presence of women artists in art museums, obtaining a retrospective exhibition at the Whitney during her life at the age of 65, something unusual for a woman, a Jewish and a widowed.

Unfortunately, despite more than 50 years of artistic career, Krasner is mostly remembered by history as Jackson Pollock's partner. Thanks to Krasner, Pollock reaped the fame that she achieved in life (and death), since she constantly obtained spaces, resources and contacts that helped with the recognition of Pollock's art, which ended up overshadowing her career.

5. Carmen Mondragón (Nahui Olin)

Carmen Mondragón, also known as Nahui Olin, was a Mexican artist and poet of the early 20th century. She lived several years in France, where she met multiple artists such as Diego Rivera, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. Much of her artistic and literary work captures the eroticism and sensuality of her personal life, and could be perceived as a constant study of herself. Being an attractive woman, she served several times as a nude model for artists and photographers, challenging the social norms assigned to women, and was part of several feminist groups in Mexico.

Although their relationship only lasted 5 years, Mondragón is remembered as the partner of Gerardo Murillo or “Dr. Atl”, the Mexican landscaper. It was from him that she received her pseudonym “Nahui Olin”, the name by which the artist is remembered, and with whom she met other prominent artists of the Mexican circle. Although some historians have described their relationship as destructive, today there is a romanticized perception of the couple, describing them as “too passionate.”

Mondragón had other partners after Dr. Atl, but this did not make her shake off the role of the artist's lover, her relationship being one of the characteristics that stands out the most in her biography, as if it were a personal achievement. On the other hand, Dr. Atl is most remembered for his contribution to the cultural community of Mexico and his work as an artist.