A painter of mostly religious subjects, Elisabetta Sirani (Bologna, 1638–1665) produced a small number of portraits, allegorical and mythological subjects. She also painted a few famous femmes fortes from ancient classical and biblical history of which some had never been painted before. Although she didn’t paint that many, she introduced several innovations in their iconographies.  

An all-round artist, Giovanna Garzoni (Ascoli Piceno, 1600-Rome, 1670) thrived at Italian and European courts and developed a truly international style. Blending different techniques and genres, she produced portraits, still-lifes, and botanical studies that all show a timeless vitality thanks to her way of laying the colour in a ‘pointillist’ technique on ivory white parchment.

Despite sensational headlines like 'More Savage Than Caravaggio,' the work of Artemisia Gentileschi (Rome, 1593–Naples, 1654 or later) should not be defined solely by the trauma of the rape she survived or the subsequent trial she endured.

Besides portraits and biblical scenes, Fede Galizia (1578–1630) produced mysteriously illuminated still lifes. Owing to her innovative rendition of the space, she has been considered a pioneer in this new genre of painting in which women artists would eventually make their mark.

Lavinia Fontana (Bologna, 1552–Rome, 1614) is considered the first truly professional woman painter who achieved success outside a convent or royal court.

Sofonisba Anguissola (Cremona, ca. 1535–Palermo, 1625) is one of the few early modern women painters to have achieved international renown and acclaim during her lifetime.

Women Painters in Early Modern Italy was an online art appreciation course I designed and published in 2023. After a few months of inactivity and with new projects on the horizon, I've decided to adapt part of the course material and share it here.

The post-Caravaggesque paintings of Artemisia Gentileschi still often disappoint modern viewers but, as these artworks are included in more seminal exhibitions and publications, preferences are changing.

Women artists seem to be all the rage these days. And rightly so. The wealth of exhibitions and publications, the changing role of art galleries and museums, the expanding interests of private collectors, and the resulting attention of the action houses not only prove that there is a thirst for more knowledge but also that art history is a rather dynamic discipline.