Upon encountering an unattributed still-life artwork in an Oslo museum storage in 2022, art historian Cynthia Osiecki had a hunch about its creator, Clara Peeters, a renowned 17th-century Flemish Baroque artist.
Osiecki, engaged in the study of Peeters’ pioneering works, suspected the painting might be a lost masterpiece by the artist.
Despite Peeters’ significant contributions, she remains relatively obscure, a common plight among female artists of her era, according to Osiecki.
In an effort to shine a light on historic female artists, the National Museum of Norway is launching the Woman Painter exhibition in Oslo on Oct. 8, showcasing works by 19 female artists from northern Europe and Italy between 1550 and 1650, including Peeters.
Unveiling the Painting’s Attribution
The painting, titled Still Life with Small Game and Grapes on a Gilded Tazza, initially believed to be by Ambrosius Brueghel, was later reclassified as anonymous and stored away.
After a meticulous process spanning several years, Osiecki officially attributed the artwork to Peeters, identifying key clues in the painting that aligned with Peeters’ distinctive style.
Peeters, known for embedding her self-portraits in everyday objects, utilized symbolism such as dead birds, hazelnuts, and apricots in her works to assert her professional identity in a male-dominated art world.
Despite challenges like woodworm damage obscuring potential signatures, Osiecki’s team’s diligent research and comparative analysis confirmed Peeters as the true artist behind the piece.
The painting will be a focal point of the upcoming exhibition.
Nora Ceciliedatter, director of collections and exhibitions at the National Museum of Norway, views the Woman Painter exhibition as part of a broader initiative to highlight underrepresented artistic perspectives.
Osiecki emphasizes the importance of continued research to unveil overlooked female artists’ contributions, underscoring the significance of identifying and acknowledging these artists’ works.
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