Judy Chicago’s original concept for The Dinner Party was multi-faceted in that her goal was to introduce the richness of women’s heritage into the culture in three ways; a monumental work of art, a book and a film because she had discovered so much unknown information. The work of art, that was eventually housed at the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum, consists of a series of Entryway Banners, the ceremonial table representing 39 important historical female figures, the Heritage Panels, which elucidate the contributions of the 999 women on the Heritage Floor, and the Acknowledgement Panels that identify Judy Chicago’s assistants and collaborators. Together, these components celebrate the many aspects of women’s history and contributions.
Through an unprecedented worldwide grass-roots movement, The Dinner Party was exhibited in 16 venues in 6 countries on 3 continents to a viewing audience of over one million people. The Dinner Party – which has been the subject of countless books and articles – is now permanently housed in the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum where it draws thousands of visitors from all over the globe.
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Installation view of Entryway Banners from The Dinner Party, 1979, UCLA Armand Hammer Museum and Cultural Center, Los Angeles, CA, 1996, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Entryway Banner #1 from The Dinner Party, 1979, modified Aubusson tapestry, 60 x 36 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Entryway Banner #2 from The Dinner Party, 1979, modified Aubusson tapestry, 60 x 36 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Entryway Banner #3 from The Dinner Party, 1979, modified Aubusson tapestry, 60 x 36 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Entryway Banner #4 from The Dinner Party, 1979, modified Aubusson tapestry, 60 x 36 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Entryway Banner #5 from The Dinner Party, 1979, modified Aubusson tapestry, 60 x 36 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Entryway Banner #6 from The Dinner Party, 1979, modified Aubusson tapestry, 60 x 36 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Wing One from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Installation view of Wing One, featuring Primordial Goddess and Fertile Goddess place settings from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Primordial Goddess place setting from The Dinner Party, 1979, embroidery on linen and china paint on porcelain, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Primordial Goddess plate from The Dinner Party, 1979, china paint on porcelain, 14 in. diameter, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Boadaceia place setting from The Dinner Party, 1979, embroidery on linen and china paint on porcelain, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Boadaceia plate from The Dinner Party, 1979, china paint on porcelain, 14 in. diameter, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Installation view of Wing One, featuring Fertile Goddess, Ishtar, and Kali place settings from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Installation view of Wing One, featuring Amazon, Hatshepsut, and Judith place settings from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Hatshepsut place setting from The Dinner Party, 1979, embroidery on linen and china paint on porcelain, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Hatshepsut plate from The Dinner Party, 1979, china paint on porcelain, 14 in. diameter, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Installation view of Wing One, featuring Judith and Sappho place settings from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Installation view of Wing One, featuring Sappho and Aspasia place settings from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Wing Two from The Dinner Party, 1979, embroidery on linen and china paint on porcelain, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Wing Two from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Saint Bridget plate from The Dinner Party, 1979, china paint on porcelain, 14 in. diameter, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Installation view of Wing Two, featuring Theodora and Hrosvitha place settings from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Theodora plate from The Dinner Party, 1979, china paint on porcelain, 14 in. diameter, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Installation view of Wing Two, featuring Isabella d'Este and Elizabeth R. place settings from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Installation view of Wing Two, featuring Christine de Pisan and Isabella d'Este place settings from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Christine de Pisan plate from The Dinner Party, 1979, china paint on porcelain, 14 in. diameter, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Installation view of Wing Two, featuring Elizabeth R., Artemisia Gentileschi, and Anna van Schurman place settings from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Wing Three from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Installation view of Wing Three, featuring Anne Hutchinson, Sacajawea, and Caroline Herschel place settings from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Sacajawea plate from The Dinner Party, 1979, china paint on porcelain, 25.3 x 14 x 2.5 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Mary Wollstonecraft plate from The Dinner Party, 1979, china paint on porcelain, 14 in. diameter, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Installation view of Wing Three, featuring Sojourner Truth and Susan B. Anthony place settings from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Elizabeth Blackwell place setting from The Dinner Party, 1979, embroidery on linen and china paint on porcelain, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Elizabeth Blackwell plate from The Dinner Party, 1979, china paint on porcelain, 15 in. diameter, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Ethel Smyth plate from The Dinner Party, 1979, china paint on porcelain, 14 in. diameter, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Installation view of Wing Three, featuring Margaret Sanger and Natalie Barney place settings from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Installation view of Wing Three, featuring Virginia Woolf and Georgia O'Keeffe place settings from The Dinner Party, 1979, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Virginia Woolf plate from The Dinner Party, 1979, china paint on porcelain, 14 in. diameter, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Installation view of the Heritage Panels from The Dinner Party at the UCLA Armand Hammer Museum of Art.
Judy Chicago, Heritage Panel #1 from The Dinner Party, hand-colored photo mural, 57.5 x 70.9 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Heritage Panel #2 from The Dinner Party, hand-colored photo mural, 57.4 x 70.6 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Heritage Panel #3 from The Dinner Party, hand-colored photo mural, 57.4 x 83.3 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Heritage Panel #4 from The Dinner Party, hand-colored photo mural, 57.5 x 70.6 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Heritage Panel #5 from The Dinner Party, hand-colored photo mural, 57.4 x 107 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Heritage Panel #6 from The Dinner Party, hand-colored photo mural, 57.4 x 120.3 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Heritage Panel #7 from The Dinner Party, hand-colored photo mural, 57.4 x 94.3 in., Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Installation view of the Acknowledgement Panels from The Dinner Party at the UCLA Armand Hammer Museum of Art. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Acknowledgement Panel 1 from The Dinner Party, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Acknowledgement Panel 2 from The Dinner Party, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Judy Chicago, Acknowledgement Panel 3 from The Dinner Party, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Collection of the Brooklyn Museum. © Judy Chicago/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Photo © Donald Woodman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
