Elisabetta Sirani

(Italy, 08/01/1638 - 28/08/1665)

Portia Wounding her Thigh (1664)

Celebrated for her remarkable talent, prolific output and her pioneering role as a woman artist in seventeenth century, Sirani was born in 1638, in Bologna, as the eldest daughter of Giovanni Andrea Sirani, a painter and pupil of Guido Reni. From an early age, Sirani was immersed in the world of art, exposed to the techniques and stylistic ideals of the Bolognese school, which valued clarity, grace and harmony.

Receiving her initial training from her father, Sirani quickly developed her own distinctive voice as an artist and, when her father’s health began to decline, she assumed responsibility for managing his workshop, overseeing commissions and training pupils. Remarkably, she became not only the leading painter in her family but also one of the foremost artists in Bologna, earning the admiration of patrons and connoisseurs alike.

During her short life, Sirani became an extraordinarily prolific painter, producing over 200 works in less than a decade, including religious altarpieces, portraits and mythological scenes featuring her unique style combining the elegance and idealised beauty popular at the time with a more dramatic, personal sensibility.

Sirani excelled in representing strong, active women, which distinguished her work from many of her male contemporaries, reflecting not only her artistic imagination, but her interest in heroines of virtue and courage and her awareness of the expectations placed on women of her time.

In addition to her groundbreaking achievements as a painter, Sirani founded a school for women artists in Bologna, the first of its kind in Europe, where she trained numerous pupils including her sisters Barbara and Anna Maria. In doing so, she created the singular space for women to participate in professional Bolognese artistic life outside of a convent, offering opportunities that were typically denied to them, regardless of artistic and social connections. Her school became a vital part of Bologna’s cultural scene, reinforcing the city’s reputation as being supportive of women artists.

After her sudden death, which sparked rumors of poisoning, she was mourned deeply in Bologna and was honoured with a lavish public funeral typically reserved for the city’s most distinguished citizens. Today, her legacy endures as a pioneering figure in art history.

Sirani not only demonstrated the extraordinary capabilities of women artists in the Baroque period, but also paved the way for future generations by creating educational and professional pathways for women in the arts. Her life, though brief, left an indelible mark on European painting and continues to inspire admiration for her talent, determination and vision.

Image: Elisabetta Sirani, Portia Wounding her Thigh (1664). Oil on canvas, 101 x 138 cm. Collezioni d'Arte e di Storia della Fondazione della Cassa di Risparmio, Italy.