Muse or Maker? Women in the Italian Art World, 1400–1800

From patrons to muses and artists, the women who played a central role in shaping the art world during the Italian Renaissance are the focus of this exhibition at the Kupferstichkabinett in Berlin (8 March to 4 June). Featuring more than 90 drawings and prints from the period, the show seeks to illuminate the work and life of artists such as Rosalba Carriera and Artemisia Gentileschi as well as influential patrons such as Isabella d’Este and Christina of Sweden. Highlights on show include Federico Zuccari’s intimate portrait of his wife and muse Francesca Genga, Half-length portrait of a woman with a small child (c. 1580–85), as well as works by the little-known artist Teresa del Pò, who has long been overshadowed by her father, the renowned painter and draftsman Pietro del Pò. Find out more on the Kupferstichkabinett’s website.

Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary

Self-Portrait (c. 1708), Rosalba Carriera. Photo: © Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett/Jörg P. Anders

Half-length portrait of a woman with a small child (c. 1580–85), Federico Zuccari. Photo: © Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett/Dietmar Katz

Family with Elisabeth and Johannesknabe, St. Joseph in the background (c. 1655–65), Elisabeth Sirani. Photo: © Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett/Dietmar Katz