Women artists have been overlooked throughout history. Although steps are being taken to redress this imbalance, women remain underrepresented in collections and sometimes it can be difficult to find their works or even to know where to start looking. There are thousands of women artists represented on Art UK, and to give you a place to start exploring their works we have created 26 Curations of women artists, divided up by surname A-Z. The set of Curations contains works by 1,000 female artists in total. You won't find the likes of Frida Kahlo or Hilma af Klint as their works are not in UK public collections (yet), but you will find a wealth of art from works by Eileen Agar to Doris Zinkeisen – and plenty more in between.

7 artworks
  • Catherine Yass (b.1963)

    Safety Last 2011
    Catherine Yass (b.1963)
    Etchings on paper
    H 25.7 x W 20.9 cm
    Jerwood Collection
    Safety Last
    © Catherine Yass. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2024. Image credit: Jerwood Collection

  • Laetitia Yhap (b.1941)

    Knife in Mouth 1988
    Laetitia Yhap (b.1941)
    Oil on board
    H 36 x W 159.5 cm
    The Women’s Art Collection
    Knife in Mouth
    © the artist. Image credit: The Women’s Art Collection

  • Lynette Yiadom-Boakye (b.1977)

    To Tell Them There It's Got To 2013
    Lynette Yiadom-Boakye (b.1977)
    Oil on canvas
    H 60 x W 55 cm
    The Box, Plymouth
    To Tell Them There It's Got To
    © Courtesy of the artist, Jack Shainman Gallery, New York and Corvi-Mora, London. Image credit: the artist

  • Bessie Innes Young (1855–1936)

    The Garden Hat 1927
    Bessie Innes Young (1855–1936)
    Oil on canvas
    H 55.9 x W 45.7 cm
    Glasgow Life Museums
    The Garden Hat
    Image credit: Glasgow Life Museums

  • Emily Young (b.1951)

    Archangel Michael (Memorial to the Victims of the 2005 London Bombings) 2004–2010
    Emily Young (b.1951)
    Onyx
    Archangel Michael (Memorial to the Victims of the 2005 London Bombings)
    © the artist. Image credit: Colleen Rowe Harvey / Art UK

  • Jean Young (1914–1995)

    Weeding the Path c.1950
    Jean Young (1914–1995)
    Oil on canvas on board
    H 69.4 x W 53.6 cm
    Derbyshire & Derby School Library Service
    Weeding the Path
    © the copyright holder. Image credit: Derbyshire & Derby School Library Service

  • Nan Youngman (1906–1995)

    Valley in Merionithshire 1953
    Nan Youngman (1906–1995)
    Oil on board
    H 51 x W 70 cm
    Collection of Original Works for Children in Cambridgeshire
    Valley in Merionithshire
    © the artist's estate. Image credit: Jonathan Bowman, J9 Solutions (UK) Ltd