The exhibition includes more than 130 works from exclusively female artists between the 16th and 19th centuries.
“Roma Pittrice: Female Artists at Work Between the 16-18th Centuries” curated by Ilaria Marelli Mariani, and Raffaella Morselli, and Ilaria Arcangeli will be open to the public until March 2025 at the Museum of Rome at Palazzo Braschi. The more than 130-piece exhibit tells the true stories of many of the female artists in Rome that are often forgotten and underpraised.
With more than 130 works on display from national and international collections, the exhibition features artists who tended to be overshadowed by their male counterparts between the 16th and 18th centuries. Roma Pittrice aims to shed light on the professional and personal lives of these exclusively female artists.
The Museum of Rome at Palazzo Braschi was inaugurated in 1930 and the collections of the museum include tens of thousands of pieces documenting Roman life. It is a beautiful building nestled between Piazza Navona and Campo de Fiori in Piazza di San Pantaleo.
Featured Works
The career of Artemisia Gentileschi, widely regarded as one of the most famous female painters of her era, is showcased through three significant works. These include her painting Cleopatra, L’Aurora, and Judith and Her Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes.
The exhibition also places special emphasis on Lavinia Fontana, a renowned artist from Bologna who gained significant recognition in her lifetime. The show highlights several previously unseen pieces, including the earliest known self-portrait painted on copper.
Additionally, a never-before-seen piece by Giustiniana Guidotti makes its debut at Roma Pittrice and demonstrates how female artists used signatures to assert their identity in a field dominated by men.
The often-overlooked still-life genre is represented by Laura Bernasconi and Anna Stanchi, whose delicate compositions of plants and animals are displayed alongside miniature botanical works by Giovanna Garzoni, loaned from the Accademia di San Luca.
Many of the works in the exhibition have only recently been rediscovered or reattributed to the artists after extensive research on the formally miscellaneous pieces.
This exhibition is more than just a collection of artwork, it serves the purpose of celebrating the traditionally uncelebrated. Visiting Roma Pittrice and taking the time to read the stories of these oft-forgotten female artists gives their legacies further meaning and value whilst also providing a lovely daytime activity for visitors to Rome. The exhibition is truly remarkable and moving, you can’t miss it!
Details for Visiting
The exhibition is open to the public from October 25 2024 to March 23 2025 at the Museum of Rome at Palazzo Braschi. Tickets, which can be purchased online ahead of time or at the ticket office day-of range from 10-20 Euros depending on the ticket type (exhibition only or full museum access). Audio guides are available for 5 Euro and are offered in English, Italian, and French.
Until March 23 2025
Address
Piazza di San Pantaleo, 10
Opening hours
10am-7pm (Tue-Sun)
Tickets
adults € 13,00; concessions € 11,00
