Roma pittrice: the city’s women painters, rediscovered

Throughout history, women artists have often gone unnoticed, unacknowledged, and unremembered. Thankfully, a new exhibition promises to bring to light centuries of female talent in Roman art, offering a fresh look at a part of our cultural heritage that has been ignored for too long.

A journey through four centuries of art, according to women

Palazzo Braschi, the majestic home of the Museo di Roma, has just launched “Roma Pittrice“, an exhibition that takes us on a fascinating journey. Carefully curated by Ilaria Miarelli Mariani and Raffaella Morselli, the exhibition brings together around 130 works that testify to the extraordinary artistic vitality of women in the Italian capital… even before it became one. The works, in fact, date from the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries!

In the rooms of the Palazzo you will find artists whose talents have all too often been relegated to the margins of art history. Figures such as Caterina Ginnasi and Maria Felice Tibaldi Subleyras stand next to better-known names such as Angelika Kaufmann. The exhibition also introduces us to the genius of Lavinia Fontana and the expressive power of Artemisia Gentileschi, arguably the stars of the show. But in the end, they’re not alone: their works are juxtaposed with those of many other women artists who are finally receiving the attention they deserve, thanks to art critics and researchers who have “rediscovered” them.

The long road to recognition

The exhibition also highlights the emancipation of women artists in the Roman cultural context, documenting their gradual establishment on the international art market. Of particular interest is the story of their entry into prestigious city institutions such as the Accademia di San Luca and the Accademia dei Virtuosi al Pantheon, which were previously open only to male artists.

A much-needed rediscovery

“Roma Pittrice” is not just an exhibition, it is an act of historical justice. With this event, Palazzo Braschi offers us the opportunity to rediscover an artistic heritage of priceless value that has been obscured for too long by gender bias. It is an invitation to reflect on how much art history has been deprived of fundamental voices, and how important it is today to recover and celebrate these forgotten contributions.

The exhibition will be open until March 25, 2025. Palazzo Braschi is located in Piazza di San Pantaleo, between Piazza Navona and Campo de’ Fiori.