Who was Elisabetta Sirani?
Self-Portrait as Allegory of Painting (1658) by Elisabetta Sirani, Pushkin Museum, Moscow
Before Frida, before Artemisia, there was Elisabetta Sirani, a brilliant, bold, and prolific painter who didn’t just break the glass ceiling; she baroqued right through it.
Born in 1638 in Bologna, Italy (a surprisingly progressive city when it came to women in the arts), Elisabetta was a prodigy with a paintbrush. Her father, Giovanni Andrea Sirani, was also a painter and a follower of Guido Reni, which meant she had a solid foundation—but what she did with it was pure Elisabetta magic.
By the time she was in her early twenties, she was producing large-scale historical and religious works typically reserved for male artists. And she didn’t stop there: she ran a painting workshop filled entirely with female students, trained her own sisters, and turned her studio into a hub of female empowerment, centuries before the term even existed.
1. Speed, Skill, and Sass
One of Elisabetta’s signature moves? Speed painting.
No, not the trendy TikTok kind. We’re talking about full-blown, elaborate altarpieces and portraits completed in record time. Visitors would travel just to watch her work, literally. They came to her studio and sat there, agog, as she painted an entire composition in a single sitting.
“It is a miracle that a woman can do such things,” wrote one astonished observer.
To which we imagine Elisabetta replied (with her paintbrush): Watch me.
She painted over 200 works in her short life, more than many of her male contemporaries. Her style was rich, dramatic, and deeply emotional, often channeling the Baroque ideals of theatrical light and movement with a distinctly feminine twist.
2. Not Just Painting—Trailblazing
In a time when women were usually restricted to minor artistic roles, Elisabetta was signing major commissions, winning wealthy patrons, and even painting members of European nobility.
Even more impressively, she took charge of her father’s studio when he fell ill and completely transformed it into an all-female art school. This was practically unheard of. She trained her sisters, Sirani, Anna Maria other Bolognese women, and even girls from noble families who wanted to learn the art of painting. She was not only a great artist but a visionary mentor.
Fun fact: In Bologna at the time, women could also attend university, unlike most of Europe. Elisabetta embodied that Bolognese spirit of inclusion and education.
3. Her Death Sparked a Murder Mystery
Elisabetta Sirani died tragically young, just 27 years old. The cause? Mysterious stomach pains. People were so shocked (and suspicious) that her maid was accused of poisoning her and thrown in jail!
Eventually, it was discovered that she likely died of a gastric ulcer. But the drama didn’t stop there; her death was mourned like that of a national icon. A grand funeral was held, and she was buried with full honors in Bologna’s Basilica of San Domenico, right near the tomb of Michelangelo’s Bertoldo di Giovanni.
You know you’ve made it when your burial place is among the artistic elite.
4. Most Famous Works (and Where You Can See Them)
Despite being mostly forgotten for centuries, many of Elisabetta’s works have survived and now live in some of the world’s greatest museums. Here are some must-sees:
- “Judith with the Head of Holofernes” (c. 1658)
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
A bold, confident take on the Judith story—Elisabetta portrays the heroine as composed and in control, with none of the usual Baroque hysteria.
- “Virgin and Child” (1663)
National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington D.C.
A tender, luminous composition blending the sacred and the human with exquisite warmth.
- “Portia Wounding Her Thigh” (c. 1664)
Private collection, sometimes on loan
A feminist mic-drop moment: Portia shows her strength and stoicism, proving her worth to Brutus. The anatomy is precise, the emotion palpable.
“St. Anthony of Padua with the Infant Christ” (c. 1662)
Basilica of San Domenico, Bologna
A profoundly spiritual piece was found in her hometown. It shows her continued influence in both religious and civic spheres.
5. Why Elisabetta Still Matters
Elisabetta Sirani wasn’t just a woman who painted. She was a woman who led, mentored, and created space for other women to follow in her footsteps.
In a world where women were rarely allowed to sign their names to their work, she signed hers boldly. She made sure her students could do the same. She proved that you didn’t need to be male, old, or even alive very long to make a lasting impact in the world of art.
She showed that feminism doesn’t always come with a manifesto. Sometimes it arrives in brushstrokes.
“The noblest and most gifted woman of her time,” wrote a 17th-century admirer.
And she still is—if we take the time to remember her.
Final Thoughts: A Star Too Bright for Her Time
Elisabetta Sirani’s life may have been short, but her legacy lives on—in every painting she left behind and every brush she handed to a female student.
She was fierce without being flashy, humble without hiding, and talented beyond belief. And the best part? Her story is still unfolding, as more people rediscover her incredible art today.
So next time you hear someone say, “I’ve never heard of any female Baroque painters,” just lean in and say:
“Let me tell you about Elisabetta Sirani.”
I invite you to explore my paintings, layered, searching, and shaped by the same questions I ask of the artists I study. Visit My Gallery Art.
References (All Public Domain Sources):
