| Summary: | This thesis rediscovers the Swedish painter Märta Rudbeck (1882–1933). During her lifetime she was an esteemed composer of flower still lifes and portraits. Her forgotten heritage follows those of other female artists, whose legacies are long forgotten. By retracing her life through archives and newspaper articles, a picture of her upbringing, education, career and network affiliations emerges. By using the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieus field theory, the aim of the thesis is to analyse the social, educational, cultural and economic aspects that affected Märta Rudbeck’s life, and how this was manifested in her art. The strategies Märta Rudbeck encompassed, are highlighted in the analysis. She chose to exhibit her work with a variety of associations and also took commissions for portraits and copies of older works of art. The analysis also reveals how she followed in her mother’s footsteps and embraced female networks to further her career. Furthermore, the thesis uncovers how her heritage, social class and upbringing most likely influenced her choice of genre, which in turn has prevented her from staying relevant since her untimely death in the early 1930’s. The thesis finally discloses how Märta Rudbeck’s artistry is once again made relevant, through a major museum acquisition as well as an exhibition at one of the greater art institutions in Sweden.
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