Elisabetta Sirani (1638–1665)

• Was an Italian Baroque painter and printmaker.
• She was a pioneering female artist in early modern Bologna, who established an academy for other women artists.
• Elisabetta Sirani was born in Bologna on 8 January 1638.
• She was the first of four children of Margherita and Giovanni Andrea Sirani.
• Sirani was born into an artistic family and was first trained in her father's studio.
• Her father was a painter of the School of Bologna and was a pupil of Guido Reni and an art merchant.
• When, by 1654, Giovanni Andrea Sirani became incapacitated by gout Elisabetta began running her family's workshop.
• Elisabetta Sirani was at this point the family's primary breadwinner.
• Between her students' fees and portrait commissions, she was able to support the family.
• Elisabetta Sirani died suddenly in August 1665, in Bologna.
• Her death was considered suspicious and a maidservant, Lucia Tolomelli, was charged with poisoning the artist and put on trial.
• It was thought suspicious because Tolomelli had requested to end her service to the family only days before Sirani's death.
• Giovanni Andrea Sirani withdrew the charges soon after the trial.
• Some of her pupils included Veronica Fontana, Caterina Pepoli, Maria Elena Panzacchi, Camelia Lanteri, Lucretia Forni, Veronica Franchi and Lucrezia Scarfaglia.
• Next