She was one of the first women to execute large, publicly commissioned figure paintings. Biography. She was the daughter of Prospero Fontana (1512-1579), a prestigious Bolognese painter with whom she trained and worked. It is known that the artist played spinet (a smaller type of clavichord) and could read Latin. Fontana was the most successful woman of the Bolognese painters in her time. She was trained by her father Prospero Fontanawho was a teacher at the School of Bologna. See available paintings, works on paper, and prints and multiples for sale and learn about the artist. Lavinia Fontana’s early years are comparable to those of most women artists. She is regarded as the first woman artist, working within the same sphere as her male counterparts, outside a court or convent. Lavinia Fontana was irreproachable as a daughter and a wife and, although constantly overworked, she was also able to give birth to eleven children. Lavinia Fontana (August 24, 1552 – August 11, 1614) was an Italian painter. Fontana studied with her father, Prospero Fontana (c. 1512–97), a minor painter of the school of Bologna, who taught his daughter to paint in the Mannerist style. In 1581 she completed "Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalen" in the balanced dark-against-light style of Antonio Correggio. Fontana's work was lucrative enough to support her family. Unlike most female artists of the period, Lavinia received encouragement at home, where her father taught her to paint. She went to school at Mannerist School. "Lavinia Fontana," http://www.nmwa.org/legacy/bios/bfontana.htm (January 15, 2002). By the time she reached her thirties, Fontana was respected as a painter of devotional art. Fontana proved to be quite talented and continued to excel throughout her childhood. She was the first woman artist to paint female nudes, and was the main breadwinner of a family of 13. Lavinia Fontana (August 24, 1552 – August 11, 1614) was an Italian painter. biographie Lavinia était la fille du peintre maniériste Prospero Fontana , dans l'atelier duquel pourrait dessiner, à côté des enseignements de son père, à un large éventail d'expériences picturales, Emilia (de Parmigianino à Pellegrino Tibaldi), Veneto (Veronese, Jacopo Bassano), Lombardie ( Sofonisba Anguissola ) Et la Toscane. Lavinia Fontana (August 24, 1552 – August 11, 1614) was a Bolognese Mannerist painter active in Bologna and Rome. Venturing beyond traditional still lifes and set poses into high drama, she painted mythic and biblical figures on a grand scale and used as models female and male nudes. To assist her work, Zappi abandoned his career, kept Fontana's accounts, and tended the couple's 11 children, of whom only three outlived their mother. Biographie [modifier | modifier le code]. Elle était la fille de Prospero Fontana (1512-1597), … In addition to her career as an artist, she was the mother of 11 children. This extensively illustrated book is the first comprehensive study of Fontana in the English language. Sofonisba Anguissola (1535-1625) and Lavinia Fontana (1552-1614) are two artists I didn’t know. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Meet extraordinary women who dared to bring gender equality and other issues to the forefront. Her earliest known work, " … She is regarded as the first woman artist, working within the same sphere as her male counterparts, outside a court or convent. They didn’t know each other, either. Her prolific body of work encompasses numerous categories of art, including single and group portraits, church altar art, and narrative and historic scenes. Lavinia Fontana (August 24, 1552 – August 11, 1614) was a Bolognese Mannerist painter best known for her portraiture. She was the daughter of Prospero Fontana (1512 – 1597), an accomplished and well traveled artist of the Bolognese School. Lavinia Fontana, (born 1552, Bologna [Italy]—died August 11, 1614, Rome), Italian painter of the Mannerist school and one of the most important portraitists in Bologna during the late 16th century. She is regarded as the first woman artist, working within the same sphere as her male counterparts, outside a court or convent. Accademia Nazionale di San Luca, Rome 2. Sofonisba Anguissola, Lavinia Fontana and Artemisia Gentileschi (in rigorous chronological order) are the three woman painters celebrated and requested in their days, rediscovered and carefully studied in recent years for they to be assigned a coherent collocation in the art history. 24 sept. 2020 - Explorez le tableau « Lavinia FONTANA ( 1552 - 1614 ) » de CLODROCK, auquel 150 utilisateurs de Pinterest sont abonnés. Biography. Her Visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon is her most ambitious surviving narrative work. Lavinia was trained by her father and followed his Mannerist style. Her earliest known work, "Monkey Child", was painted in 1575 at the age of 23. Self Portrait by Lavinia Fontana Source Image. By the late 1570s she was known in Bologna for painting fine portraits, including Self-portrait at the Harpischord and the very formal Gozzadini Family (1584). Standing before an urn, the regal figure suggests the Renaissance era's immersion in Eastern subjects. Lavinia Fontana was an Italian Female Artist born on August 24, 1552. 1552, Bologna, d. 1614, Roma) in the Web Gallery of Art, a searchable image collection and database of European painting, sculpture and architecture (200-1900) Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Renaissance painter Lavinia Fontana was commissioned to make not only portraits, the typical subject matter for women painters, but also religious and mythological themes, which sometimes included female nudes. Biography Lavinia Fontana was born in Bologna, the daughter of the painter Prospero Fontana, who was a prominent painter of the School of Bologna at the time and served as her teacher. Continuing the family business was typical at the time. The painting, now housed in Florence's Uffizi Gallery, captures the rapt attention of a familiar bible figure moved by a glimpse of Christ. The Lavinia Fontana Study Pack contains: Biographies (1) Lavinia Fontana 1,031 words, approx. Her Visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon is her most ambitious surviving narrative work. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. She is considered the first ever woman artist to work within the same sphere as her male counterparts, independently and outside a royal court or convent. Continuing the family business was typical at the time. The city’s prosperous economic and social situation account for the prominent role of women in its cultural, religious, social and artistic life. Creator: Lavinia Fontana; Date Created: 1552/1614; Physical Dimensions: w724 x h971 mm (Without frame) Artist biography: Lavinia Fontana was born in Bologna, Italy in 1552. Lavinia Fontana est l'unique enfant de Prospero Fontana et d'Antonia de' Bonardis. 11 1-14, 341. Features of Lavinia Fontana's art. In 1611, during Fontana's residence in Rome, sculptor Felice Antonio Cassoni cast a medal to honor her contribution to the arts. US: +1 (707) 877-4321 FR: +33 977-198-888. Continuing the family business was typical at the time. Born in Bologna in 1552, Lavinia Fontana was the daughter of cosmopolitan fresco artist and teacher Prospero Fontana, who established his reputation in Rome and joined Giorgio Vasari in adorning Florence's Palazzo Vecchio. Lavinia Fontana was born in Bologna, the daughter of the painter Prospero Fontana, who was a leading painter of the School of Bologna at the time and served as her teacher. Fontana used imagination to recreate images from the past. Lavinia Fontana (1552, Bologna — 11 August 1614, Rome) was an Italian artist of the late Renaissance, a representative of Mannerism. She also received an academic education. Lavinia Fontana's brief biography in Malvasia's Felsina pittrice states quite explicitly that the major reason for her success as a painter in Bologna was the kind of clientele that she could command.2 First, Malvasia gives primary importance to her relationship with the Boncompagni family, who gave her Art critics surmise that Zappi also painted some of the drapery and background in Fontana's paintings. Son père est peintre de la contre-réforme très en vogue auprès des papes. In addition to the medal already discussed in the article, Fontana is the subject of Portrait of a Woman, 1595 by Paolo Veronese (Cheney, et al 2000). She was also the main breadwinner of a family of 13. Fontana was born in Bologna, Italy in 1552. She was the first woman artist to paint female nudes, and possibly the first female to use live nude female models[2]. Popes Gregory XIII and Clement VIII each posed for her in ceremonial regalia and the Vatican offered her commissions normally contracted to male artists. This extensively illustrated book is the first comprehensive study of Fontana in the English language. She is regarded as the first female career artist in Western Europe as she relied on commissions for her income. Her large and renowned body of work encompasses several genres, including altarpieces, history paintings, and portraits. Biography. Bolognese painter Lavinia Fontana was the most significant and prolific woman artist of Renaissance Europe. Lavinia Fontana, (born 1552, Bologna [Italy]—died August 11, 1614, Rome), Italian painter of the Mannerist school and one of the most important portraitists in Bologna during the late 16th century. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). She is considered the first woman to carry out large private and public commissions. In 1577 Fontana married the minor painter Gian Paolo Zappi. She was trained by her father Prospero Fontana moreover to was active in Bologna moreover to Rome. Biography. Some of her most famous works are large altarpieces executed for the churches of her native city. Lavinia Fontana (1552, Bologna — 11 August 1614, Rome) was an Italian artist of the late Renaissance, a representative of Mannerism. They formed a working partnership that supported her career, allowing her to accept a growing number of commissions for baroque portraits, small paintings, and religious art. She is regarded as the first female career artist in Western … In this same period, Fontana completed "The Dead Christ with Symbols of the Passion" and "The Holy Family," the latter an undated piece that creates an adult triad of the Virgin Mary and Elizabeth comparing the virtues of their toddler sons Jesus and John the Baptist, while the third figure, a colorless Joseph, looks on in the background. Even within the responsibilities of being a mother of eleven children, she achieved much in style and work. Lavinia Fontana (August 24, 1552 – August 11, 1614) was an Italian painter. Take for instance Lavinia Fontana. After about 1600—when she executed Vision of St. Hyacinth, a work commissioned by the cardinal of Ascoli—Fontana’s work was introduced to Rome; she moved to Rome three years later and continued painting portraits and altarpieces. She is regarded as the first woman artist, working within the same sphere as her male counterparts, outside a court or convent. Despite the many common aspects, the two women lived very different stories. “The most significant and prolific female artist of the 16th century, Lavinia Fontana opened up opportunities… Her earliest known work, "Child of the Monkey", was painted in 1575 at the age of 23. View Lavinia Fontana biographical information, artworks upcoming at auction, and sale prices from our price archives. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lavinia-Fontana, Virtual Uffizi Gallery - Biography of Lavinia Fontana, Lavinia Fontana - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Son père est peintre de la contre-réforme très en vogue auprès des papes. Her large and renowned body of work encompasses several genres, including altarpieces, history paintings, and portraits. Lavinia Fontana, Self-Portrait with the Spinet Accompanied by a Handmaiden (1577). Copyright © 2020 LoveToKnow. Born in Bologna in 1552, Lavinia Fontana was the daughter of cosmopolitan fresco artist and teacher Prospero Fontana, who established his reputation in Rome and joined Giorgio Vasari in adorning Florence's Palazzo Vecchio. Her father, Prospero, was a painter at the local school and taught his daughter all he knew about the craft. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. At the request of the Vizzani Chapel at the church of Santa Maria della Morte in Bologne, in 1590 Fontana painted "St. Francis of Paola Blessing a Child," now displayed in the city's Pinacoteca Nazionale. 1552, Bologna, d. 1614, Roma) in the Web Gallery of Art, a searchable image collection and database of European art and architecture (200-1900) She was the first woman artist to paint female nudes, and was the main breadwinner of a family of 13. Unlike most female artists of the period, Lavinia received encouragement at home, where her father taught her to paint. The obverse pictures her in profile; the reverse depicts her as the symbolic female artist, too immersed in her work to tame her flowing hair. Her prolific body of work encompasses numerous categories of art, including single and group portraits, church altar art, and narrative and historic scenes. Unlike most female artists of the period, Lavinia received encouragement at home, where her father taught her to paint. She was the first woman artist to paint female nudes, and was the main breadwinner of a family of 13. A producer of over 135 sophisticated oil paintings, Lavinia Fontana (1552- 1614) was one of the first female portraitists to seek commissions. Born in Bologna in 1552, Lavinia Fontana was the daughter of cosmopolitan fresco artist and teacher Prospero Fontana, who established his reputation in Rome and joined Giorgio Vasari in adorning Florence's Palazzo Vecchio. LAVINIA FONTANA’S CLEOPATRA THE ALCHEMIST 1161 conversion activities.5 These cultural events were probably noted by Fontana, especially when Pope Paul V requested that she painta two portraits: one of the Persian Ambassador residing in Rome, and the other of She is regarded as the first woman artist, working within the same sphere as her male counterparts, outside a court or convent. The Lives of Renaissance Women, http://www.bctf.bc.ca/lessonaids/online/LA9245.html (January 15, 2002). Beyond other women seeking careers in art, she flourished in an open-minded city that claimed painter Caterina dei Vigri as patron saint and which had welcomed women to its university since its opening in 1158. Lavinia Fontana (1552-1614) Self-portrait- Lavinia at the clavichord. Lavinia Fontana se forme dans l'atelier de son père, où elle rencontre les artistes et les mécènes de la ville . Lavinia Fontana (August 24 1552-August 11 1614) was an Italian painter.. At her father's studio Fontana met painter Giano Paolo Zappi and married him when she was twenty-five. She is best known for her successful portraiture, but also worked in the genres of mythology and religious painting. She was the main breadwinner of a family of 13. Corrections? Lavinia Fontana était une femme peintre, originaire de Bologne, qui a connu un grand succès de son vivant. Here is yet another fabulous lady in history, Lavinia Fontana. She is regarded as the first woman artist, working within the same sphere as her male counterparts, outside a court or convent. The Art Newspaper is the journal of record for the visual arts world, covering international news and events. Biographie. Continuing the family business was typical at … At Clement's request, she executed her most famous public work, a 20-foot altarpiece titled "The Stoning of St. Stephen Martyr," which pictures the pathos of the first Christian to die for the faith. Fontana’s works were admired for their vibrant colour and the detail of the clothes and jewelry that her subjects wore. She was trained by her father Prospero Fontana and was active in Bologna and Rome. Biography of FONTANA, Lavinia (b. Lavinia Fontana (August 24 1552-August 11 1614) was an Italian painter.. She was trained by her father Prospero Fontana who was a teacher at the School of Bologna. The city’s prosperous economic and social situation account for the prominent role of women in its cultural, religious, social and artistic life. Updates? All Rights Reserved. Lavinia Fontana August 24, 1552 – August 11, 1614 was a Bolognese Mannerist painter best requested for her portraiture. Lavinia was an artist more complete then Sofonisba who, on the other hand, was maybe a more refined intellectual. Fontana contributed to the Italian Renaissance movement and died on August 11, 1614. Lavinia Fontana studied not only painting. Lavinia Fontana was an Italian painter. She is best known for her successful portraiture, but also worked in the genres of mythology and religious painting. She was the first woman artist to paint female nudes, and was the main breadwinner of a family of 13. Born in Bologna in 1552, Lavinia Fontana was the daughter of cosmopolitan fresco artist and teacher Prospero Fontana, who established his reputation in Rome and joined Giorgio Vasari in adorning Florence's Palazzo Vecchio. Gallery Lavinia Fontana (1552-1614) | All 23 Artworks | Buy Museum Art Reproductions . Unlike most female artists of the period, Lavinia received encouragement at home, where her father taught her to paint. She came under the influence of one of her father's pupils, Ludovico Carracci, founder of Bologna's academy. After her marriage, Fontana sometimes signed her work with her married name. Lavinia Fontana. As the first woman to be commissioned for public paintings, Fontana earned membership in the prestigious Roman Academy. Other articles where Martyrdom of St. Stephen is discussed: Lavinia Fontana: …painted her largest work, the Martyrdom of St. Stephen, an altarpiece for San Paolo Fuori le Mura in Rome, a basilica that was destroyed in the fire of 1823. Painted the following year, "Portrait of a Noblewoman" depicts a standing female figure holding a decoratively jeweled marten skin and absently petting a lap dog. Name: Lavinia Fontana Bith Date: 1552 Death Date: August 11, 1614 Place of Birth: Bologna, Papal States Nationality: Gender: Female Occupations: artist, painter. Lavinia Fontana (August 24, 1552 – August 11, 1614) was a Bolognese Mannerist painter best known for her portraiture. In addition, in 1589 she painted the altarpiece Holy Family with the Sleeping Christ Child for El Escorial in Madrid. She was elected a member… Lavinia Fontana, connue aussi sous le nom de Lavinia Zappi (Bologne, 24 août 1552 - Rome, 11 août 1614) est une peintre italienne maniériste de l'école romaine au succès incontesté. In 1604 she painted her largest work, the Martyrdom of St. Stephen, an altarpiece for San Paolo Fuori le Mura in Rome, a basilica that was destroyed in the fire of 1823. The altarpiece adorned one of Rome's seven pilgrimage centers, the church of San Paolo Fuori le Mura, until the building was consumed by fire in 1823 and the painting was lost. Lavinia Fontana (1552 - 1614) was active/lived in Italy. 1 Biography; Study Pack. For "Visit of the Queen of Sheba," which now hangs in Dublin's National Gallery, Fontana improvised a demanding narrative scene that depicts the unnamed queen's royal presentation to Solomon albeit in Renaissance costume and court. In 1998, Professor Vera Fortunati of the University of Bologna arranged for the first U.S. exhibition of Fontana's canvases at the National Museum of the Arts in Washington, D.C. A Dictionary of Art & Artists, Penguin, 1976. She was the first woman artist to paint female nudes, and possibly the first female to use live nude female models.She was the main breadwinner of a family of 13. She was the first woman artist to have commissions for large-scale and public works as well as portraiture. Lavinia Fontana worked in the same areas as her male rivals, who did not find patronage at courts and monasteries. Like Artemisia Gentileschi, Lavinia Fontana (Bologna, 1552 – Roma, 1614) is the daughter of an artist, Prospero Fontana, who had a good reputation as a mannerist painter and a solid workshop in Bologna, before the advent of the Carracci. Lavinia Fontana was an Italian Artist. Her family relied on her career as a painter, and her husband served as her agent and rai… She is regarded as the first woman artist, working within the same sphere as her male counterparts, outside a court or convent. Lavinia Fontana (August 24, 1552 – August 11, 1614) was a Bolognese Mannerist painter active in Bologna and Rome. Lavinia Fontana est l'unique enfant de Prospero Fontana, peintre de la contre-réforme très en vogue auprès des papes. She was the daughter of Prospero Fontana, a leading Bolognese exponent of Mannerism. Lavinia was trained by her father and followed his Mannerist style. This extensively illustrated book is the first comprehensive study of Fontana in the English language. the mother and son from classic mythology who superintend passion and infatuation. She was the main breadwinner of a family of 13. View Lavinia Fontana’s 183 artworks on artnet. Son père est peintre de la contre-réforme très en vogue auprès des papes. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. She is considered the first woman to carry out large private and public commissions. Therein she is elegantly dressed in lace and jewels and studying archeological finds on shelves and a table, likely as preparation for sketching them. The Women's Chronology, edited by James Trager, Holt, 1995. She was trained by her father Prospero Fontana and was active in Bologna and Rome. Of her 135 works—the largest corpus of artwork by any woman from the Renaissance or before—only 32 are signed and dated. In 1603, after her father's death, Fontana was a recipient of a rare honor, particularly for a female artist, when Pope Clement VIIII summoned her to an audience in the papal palace. Son style typiquement maniériste peut être illustré par ce tableau qui emprunte au chef-d’œuvre de Pontormo de 1528tout en respectant les préceptes de compo… She was the first woman artist to paint female nudes, and possibly the first female to use live nude female models[2]. Lavinia Fontana. Voir plus d'idées sur … Lavinia and the Other Famous Women in Bologna. Omissions? 1552-1614 Lavinia Fontana est née à Bologne le 24 août 1552. Lavinia Fontana is known for Portrait painting, mannerism. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. She also received an academic education. Biography of Lavinia Fontana . Prospero Fontana fut également un professeur réputé qui enseigna à Agostino et Ludovico Carracci. Biography of FONTANA, Lavinia (b. Lavinia Fontana (August 24, 1552 – August 11, 1614) was an Italian painter. She is regarded as the first female career artist in Western Europe as she relied on commissions for her income. Lavinia Fontana (August 24, 1552 – August 11, 1614) was an Italian painter. At Clement's request, she executed her most famous public work, a 20-foot altarpiece titled "The Stoning of St. Stephen Martyr," which pictures the pathos of the first Christian to die for the faith. Lavinia Fontana (August 24, 1552 – August 11, 1614) was an Italian painter. Tweet. Features of Lavinia Fontana's art. Lavinia Fontana est l'unique enfant de Prospero Fontana et d'Antonia de' Bonardis. Lavinia Fontana’s early years are comparable to those of most women artists. From overcoming oppression, to breaking rules, to reimagining the world or waging a rebellion, these women of history have a story to tell. Sofonisba Anguissola (1535-1625) and Lavinia Fontana (1552-1614) are two artists I didn’t know. Continuing the family business was typical at the time. She was influenced by Ludovio Carracci NATIONAL MUSEUM of WOMEN in the ARTS Artist’s Biography Her earliest known work, "Child of the Monkey", was painted in 1575 at the age of 23. Lavinia Fontana was born in Bologna, the daughter of the painter Prospero Fontana, who was a prominent painter of the School of Bologna at the time and served as her teacher. Lavinia Fontana. Artprice.com's price levels for this artist are based on 90 auction results. Lavinia Fontana (August 24, 1552 – August 11, 1614) was an Italian painter. The attention to detail in her portraits is reminiscent of the work of another northern Italian Renaissance painter, Sofonisba Anguissola. She is regarded as the first woman artist, working within the same sphere as her male counterparts, outside a court or convent. Fontana also produced many religious paintings; among her best was Noli me tangere (1581). Lavinia Fontana was born in Bologna, the daughter of the painter Prospero Fontana, who was a prominent painter of the School of Bologna at the time and served as her teacher. Lavinia Fontana studied not only painting. In a 1585 painting she depicted Egyptian monarch Cleopatra cloaked in red and adorned with a jeweled hat and veil.