The Resurrection of Elizabeth Sirani

Defined by the famous painting expert of the time, Carlo Cesare Malvasia, as “a wonder of art, the glory of female sexuality, the jewel of Italy, the sun of Europe, the Madonna and the Angels painted in a homosexual or more than homosexual way”, Elisabetta Sirani (1638-1665) decorated the temple for many years: on the wall of the right nave you can admire the painting of the “Appearance of the Risen Christ to Mary”.

A “modern” artist, able to produce a large body of work about women and the female world – more than 200 paintings in twenty years: self-portraits (in this respect, she was able to be ahead of her time, if we consider the contemporary selfies or portraits of Frida Kahlo and Vivian Maier), Madonnas, saints, biblical and mythological heroines. As if to emphasize her status, in each of her paintings she left her signature on lace, jewelry, necklines, everything that expressed femininity and sensuality.

A painter who was particularly close to Guido Reni (her father, Giovanni Andrea, was an art dealer and was Reni’s first assistant), Elisabetta studied at her father’s school, together with her sisters Barbara and Anna Maria, where she immediately showed talent and great skill by creating some portraits at an early age of seventeen. His technique was absolutely unusual for the time: he sketched out the subject with a quick sketch and then perfectly rendered them in watercolor with ease, or, as the term of the time would have it, with “sprezzatura”. In an environment like art, considered a male privilege, where the “intrusion” of female protagonists was hardly tolerated, Elisabetta Sirani performed in public and in front of her clients (who included nobles and aristocrats, clergy and famous personalities, such as some members of the Medici family, as well as the Duchess of Parma and Bavaria) as part of his work, not only adapting to the general habits of the time, but also dispelling any doubts that this was not a woman with such skill and déjà vu. Debunking rumors that cunning fathers are “taking advantage” of their daughters’ non-existent abilities or powers.

In exchange for a painting, Cosimo de’ Medici gave her a cross set with 56 diamonds, which her father placed in the cabinet of admiration, filled with precious objects given to his daughter and displayed to visitors like a reliquary, causing intense jealousy.

“She worked from morning till night every day except Sunday, and also found time to entertain guests or clients with witty conversation and beautiful music. She opened her studio to other women eager to learn, so much so that she eventually founded a school,” as Germaine McGreer wrote in Penelope’s Web.

The artist is remembered not only for her remarkable artistic ability (as evidenced by the numerous works of hers in various European collections), but also because she was one of the rare painters who also worked as a printmaker. Her artistic skills, which spanned painting, drawing and engraving, led to her becoming a professor at the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca in 1660.

She died of poisoning at the young age of 27 and due to her fame she was given a grand funeral with a coffin representing the Hall of Fame with a life-size statue of the artist sitting at an easel and his remains were found next to Guido Reni in the Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna.

After a first modest revival of interest in the romantic nineteenth century, which favored the more “heroic” and pathetic biographical aspects, Sirani has recently achieved significant success thanks to new in-depth studies of his work, which in recent years have even prompted a number of monographs by scholars.

The first signs of a revaluation can be found in 1947, when, as the republic gave way to the monarchy, the old “Provincial School of Arts and Crafts for Women” was founded in Bologna, then known as the “Regina Margherita School of Arts and Crafts for Women”. Under royal patronage, it eventually took the name of Elisabetta Sirani.

In 1994, as part of the United States Postal Service’s traditional Christmas series, a stamp featuring her painting “Madonna and Child in Washington” was issued (the first art work created by a woman). Since 1994, a crater has been dedicated to her on Venus.