The Dinner Party

The Dinner Party
Artist	Judy Chicago
Year	1979 (1979)
Type	Mixed media
Location	Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York
Owner	Brooklyn Museum

The Dinner Party is an art installation that was created by artist Judy Chicago from 1974 through 1979.^[1] Chicago made the art work with the help of many volunteers. It was first shown in 1979 at the at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. It is considered to be an important early part of the Feminist Art movement.^[2] It was purchased by the Brooklyn Museum in 2002.^[1]

The table is triangular and measures 48 feet (14.63 m) on each side. There are 13 place settings on each of the table's sides, making 39 in all. Wing I honors women from Prehistory to the Roman Empire, Wing II honors women from the beginnings of Christianity to the Reformation and Wing III from the American Revolution to feminism.^[3]

Each place setting features a table runner embroidered with the woman's name and images or symbols relating to her accomplishments, with a napkin, utensils, a glass or goblet, and a plate. Many of the plates feature a butterfly- or flower-like sculpture representing a vulva. A cooperative effort of female and male artisans, The Dinner Party is created with artistic techniques historically thought to be work done by women. These techniques include textile arts (weaving, embroidery, sewing) and china painting.^[3]

The 39 women with places at the table are: