ROME.- A major exhibition, “Roma Pittrice: Artiste al lavoro tra XVI e XIX secolo” (Rome Painter: Women Artists at Work Between the 16th and 19th Centuries), is currently on display at the Museo di Roma in Palazzo Braschi. Running from October 25, 2024, until March 23, 2025, this groundbreaking show features over 130 works, many of which are either being exhibited for the first time or have remained relatively unknown. The exhibition brings to the forefront the artistic contributions of women in Rome, the capital of the arts, between the 16th and 19th centuries.
Rediscovering Forgotten Female Artists
Throughout history, the contributions of women in the arts have often been overshadowed by their male counterparts. Many women artists, despite producing significant works, have been relegated to the margins of art history, with their creations often misattributed to male relatives or mentors. This exhibition aims to correct that narrative by shedding light on the professional and personal lives of these women.
The exhibition is curated by Ilaria Miarelli Mariani, Director of the Capitoline Civic Museums, and Raffaella Morselli, Professor at Sapienza University of Rome, with the collaboration of art historian Ilaria Arcangeli. The exhibition’s organization is overseen by Zètema Progetto Cultura, and the accompanying catalog is produced by Officina Libraria.
A Journey Through Time and Art
The works on display come from a variety of institutions, including Rome’s Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Museo Napoleonico, and Pinacoteca dei Musei Capitolini, along with prestigious collections from the Uffizi in Florence, the Accademia di Brera in Milan, and the National Portrait Gallery in London. The exhibition presents pieces by 56 different female artists who either lived in or spent significant time in Rome, contributing to the city’s artistic legacy.
Some of the best-known names include Lavinia Fontana, Artemisia Gentileschi, and Giovanna Garzoni. However, the exhibition also highlights lesser-known artists such as Giustiniana Guidotti, Ida Botti, and Amalia De Angelis, many of whose works have only recently been rediscovered or attributed to them after years of research.
The show is arranged thematically and chronologically, offering visitors a comprehensive view of the challenges these women faced in gaining access to formal training, joining prominent institutions like the Accademia di San Luca, and entering the highly competitive international art market.
Roma as a Hub for Female Creativity
Rome was not only a center for male artists but also a key location for women seeking to hone their craft. The exhibition’s title, Roma Pittrice, references historical attempts by various Italian art schools to assert their independence from the dominant Florentine school in the 17th century. Similarly, the women featured in this exhibition claimed their rightful place within the art world, despite being largely neglected by traditional art historical studies.
The exhibition opens with an enigmatic portrait of a young female artist painted by Pietro Paolini in the early 17th century. The sitter, possibly a still-life painter, stares confidently out at the viewer, holding her tools of the trade—an assertion of her identity and professionalism.
The Highlights of the Show
The exhibition devotes particular attention to Lavinia Fontana, an artist from Bologna who achieved considerable fame during her lifetime. Featured in the show are previously unseen works, including the earliest known self-portrait painted on copper.
The career of Artemisia Gentileschi, perhaps the most renowned female painter of her time, is explored through three key works. The exhibition includes her painting Cleopatra, inspired by classical statuary but rendered with a dramatic sensuality, L’Aurora, and Judith and Her Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes, which revisits a subject also painted by her father, Orazio Gentileschi, but with a darker, more intense approach.
Among the newly discovered works is a piece by Giustiniana Guidotti, exhibited for the first time. This work, signed by the artist, exemplifies how women used signatures as a way to assert their identity in a male-dominated field.
The still-life genre, often overlooked, is represented by Laura Bernasconi and Anna Stanchi, whose delicate compositions of flora and fauna are displayed alongside miniature botanical works by Giovanna Garzoni, on loan from the Accademia di San Luca.
An Expanding Art World
As the exhibition moves into the 18th and 19th centuries, it showcases the growing prominence of women in Rome’s art scene. Angelika Kauffmann, a celebrated international artist who settled in Rome, is highlighted through five works, illustrating her artistic journey and influence on her contemporaries.
The exhibition also delves into the careers of engraver Laura Piranesi and painter Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, among others. These women not only made strides in the artistic world but also cemented their places within prestigious academies and the art market.
Closing the Show: New Discoveries and Recognition
The final rooms of the exhibition focus on religious subjects, portraiture, landscapes, and still life, reflecting the broad range of genres that women mastered during this period. The 19th century saw an increase in the number of female artists in Rome, as societal changes provided them with greater opportunities to study and exhibit their work.
The exhibition concludes with a map, available both on display and in a printed guide, marking the locations of works by female artists that can be seen in public and accessible spaces around the city.
Accessible and Inclusive Experience
To ensure accessibility, the exhibition includes audio guides and tactile reproductions of select works, making it open to a wide audience, including visitors with visual or hearing impairments. A series of public events featuring international scholars and experts will further explore the role of women in various disciplines.
With “Roma Pittrice: Artiste al lavoro tra XVI e XIX secolo”, the Capitoline Superintendence reaffirms its commitment to making art accessible to all while honoring the long-overlooked contributions of women artists in Rome’s rich cultural history.
