As part of International Women’s Day, a new lecture series has begun with Cases Singulares. This edition focused on actress Sarah Bernhardt, writer Dolors Monserdà, dancer Loïe Fuller and modernist painter Lluïsa Vidal.

The Faculty of Humanities, led by the dean, Judith Urbano, has started a new lecture series together with Casas Singulares. The current edition has looked at the artistic career of four pioneering women from the late nineteenth century: actress Sarah Bernhardt, writer Dolors Monserdà, dancer Loïe Fuller and modernist painter Lluïsa Vidal. They were all main figures of the period in different artistic fields.

Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) was a renowned actress who performed in more than 140 plays and founded her own company. Known as “the divine Sarah,” she also worked as a sculptor, costume designer and decorator. Among her performances, Hernani stands out, where she played Doña Sol, which launched her to fame. She also played male roles in Hamlet and toured the world for two years, with as many as 80 trunks with her belongings. On her return she bought the Theâtre de la Renaissance and directed it for five years.

Dolors Monserdà (1845-1919) was a writer, playwright and poet, winner of two awards at the Jocs Florals de Barcelona [Floral Games] and was its first president in 1909. She wrote the novel Montserrat, which became the first Catalan novel written by a woman. Monserda’s writing had a moral intention and a feminine perspective. Committed to social and feminist causes, she promoted initiatives such as the Patronat per a les Obreres de l'Agulla [Board of Needleworkers], which provided free medical care, training and sewing materials.

Loïe Fuller (1862-1928) was a revolutionary dancer and artist who exploited the possibilities of electricity in the theatre. She began her career at the age 16 and returned to the United States to create a dance show with large displays of fabric and light. In 1892 she travelled to Paris and her “Serpentine Dance” premiered at the Folies Bergère. Her electrifying performances and colourful displays made her an immediate hit and caught the attention of period artists like Ramon Casas.

Lluïsa Vidal (1876-1918) was a modernist painter specialising in portraits, still lifes and landscapes. Her work was heavily influenced by Art Nouveau and she studied with Ramon Casas and Isidre Nonell. Female figures and everyday objects were common in her paintings. She was a member of the influential Catalan artistic collective Els Quatre Gats [The Four Cats] and admired by painters such as Joaquim Mir and Santiago Rusiñol.