‘Where Are The Women?’: Uncovering The Lost Works Of Female Renaissance Artists

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The final restoration project by the nonprofit Advancing Women Artists group features works by Violante Ferroni, an 18th century prodigy about whom little is known today.

Francesco Cacchiani/AWA

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Francesco Cacchiani/AWA

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Jane Fortune, known in Italy as «Indiana Jane, was an intrepid art detective who founded Advancing Women Artists.

Marco Badiani/AWA

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Marco Badiani/AWA

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AWA is responsible for restoring David and Bathsheba, one of her paintings that was found after being hidden in a Florentine palazzo’s attic for 3 1/2 centuries.

The group also rediscovered a 21-ft.-long canvas depicting 13 life-size males — the only known Last Supper painted by a woman. It is by the 16th century Dominican nun Plautilla Nelli — whose workshop was inside a convent in Florence.

Florence has a long Last Supper painting tradition. But, says Falcone, most of the works are static.

«Whereas, she says, «Nelli actually chooses sort of the key moment in which Christ announces his betrayal. And you have all of the apostles feeling the emotion of that very serious news. And so she is able to do a study of their responses, of their psychological responses.

And, unlike most Last Suppers by male artists, Nelli puts food on the table, says Falcone.

«She has lettuce, she has salt cellars, a lot of wine, bread for every apostle and knives and forks and beans and lamb — she did a Last Supper were people were meant to eat, first of all, she says.

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Nelli’s Last Supper, before and after restoration.

Rabatti & Domingie Firenze/AWA

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Rabatti & Domingie Firenze/AWA

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Nelli’s Apostles restored, possibly showing Thomas and Peter.

Rabatti & Domingie Firenze/AWA

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Rabatti & Domingie Firenze/AWA

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Cleaning test of Violante Ferroni’s Saint John of God Feeds the Poor.

Ottaviano Caruso/AWA

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Ottaviano Caruso/AWA

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Conservator Elisabeth Wicks at work.

Francesco Cacchiani/AWA

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Francesco Cacchiani/AWA

Conservator Elisabeth Wicks at work.

Francesco Cacchiani/AWA