WHILE THE CAREERS of so many female artists of the past lie in obscurity, that of Elisabetta Sirani is exceedingly well documented—a consequence of her pride in signing her paintings, her own record of them in a manuscript catalogue, and the contemporary reception and acclaim that she received across the brief ten years of her activity as an artist. Her accomplishments as painter, draughtswoman, printmaker, teacher, and studio capomaestra were recognized during her lifetime and eulogized after her tragic death in 1665 at age 27. Her significance both as an artist and a cultural phenomenon has been the subject of serious and inspired study.
This exhibition is a focused homage to this fascinating artist, occasioned not by any anniversary, but from personal enthusiasm and the kind of serendipity that occasionally befalls an art dealer.
