Angelica Veronica Airola, a Genoese, studied painting under Domenico Fiasella. She painted religious pictures for the convents and churches of Genoa, and became a nun of the order of St. Bartholomew della Fiavella. Soprani and others mention her.
Giovanna Garzoni painted flowers and miniature portraits about 1630. At Florence she painted some of the Medici and the nobles. Dying at Rome in 1673, she bequeathed her property to the academy of St. Luke, in which there is a marble monument to her memory.
Two daughters of Caccia—called “the Fontane of Monferrato”—painted altar and cabinet pieces. One, Francesca, adopted for her symbol a small bird; Ursula, a flower. Ursula founded the convent of the Ursulines, in Moncalvo. Some of her landscapes are decorated with flowers.
Lanzi and Tiraboschi mention Margerita Gabassi as admirable in humorous pieces. She died in 1734, aged seventy-one.
In the Nuova Guida di Torino, Isabella dal Pozzo is mentioned as the painter of a picture in the church of San Francesco, at Turin, dated 1666, and representing the Virgin and Babe surrounded with saints. Lanzi bestows high praise on her. In 1676 she became court painter to the Electress Adelaide of Bavaria.
The schools of Northern Italy recorded the names, too, of Chiara Salmeggia, the painter of Bergamo, and of Maria la Caffa, of Cremona, who worked at the Court of Tyrol; of Camilla Triumfi; and Maria Domenici, a native of Naples, who worked at sculpture in Rome, and died a nun in 1703.
Lucia Scaligeri, a pupil of Chiara Varotari, had a daughter Agnes, also a painter, spoken of by Boschini. Caterina Rusca was a native of Ferrara, and known as an engraver and poetess.
Crayon-drawing seems to have been much in vogue at this time. Giovanna Fratellini, called by Lanzi “an illustrious female artist, from the school of Gabbiani,” painted in crayons as well as in oil, miniature and enamel. So famous did she become that, after executing the portraits of Cosmo III. and family—a drawing consisting of fourteen figures in a superb apartment, of the richest architecture, remarkable for its judicious disposition and lovely coloring—her patron sent her throughout Italy to paint the other princes. “Her pencil is light, delicate, and free,” writes Pilkington; “her carnations are natural, and full of warmth and life, and as she understood perspective and architecture thoroughly, she made an elegant use of that knowledge, enriching her pictures with magnificent ornaments. Her draperies are generally well chosen, full of variety, and remarkable for a noble simplicity. Her works rendered her famous, not only in Italy, but in Europe.” Her portrait is in the gallery at Florence; she painted herself in the act of drawing her son and pupil, Lorenzo, in whom were centred all her hopes. Under her tuition he made rapid progress in art, but died suddenly, at an early age. His mother never recovered from the blow; life and art had alike lost their charms for her, and she speedily followed him to the grave.
CHAPTER VII.
THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
Contrast between the Academicians and Naturalists, and between the French and Spanish Schools of Painting.—Peculiarities of each.—Ladies of Rank in Madrid Pupils of Velasquez.—Instruction of the royal Children in Art.—The Engraver of Madrid.—Every City in the South of Spain boasts a female Artist.—Isabella Coello.—Others in Granada.—In Cordova.—The Sculptress of Seville.—Luisa Roldan; her Carvings in Wood.—The Canons “sold.”—Invitation to Madrid.—Sculptress to the King.—Other Women Artists in Spain.—In France Woman’s Position more prominent than in preceding Age.—Corruption of court Manners.—Unworthy Women in Power.—Women in every Department of Literature.—Mademoiselle de Scudery.—Madame de la Fayette.—Madame Dacier.—Women in theological Pursuits.—Their Ascendency in Art not so great.—Miniature and Flower Painters.—Engravers.—Elizabeth Sophie Chéron.—A Leader in Enamel-painting.—Her Portraits and History-pieces.—Her Merits and Success.—Her Translations of the Psalms.—Musical and Poetical Talents.—Honors lavished on her.—Love and Marriage at three-score.—Her Generosity to the needy.—Verses in her Praise.—Historical Tableaux.—Madelaine Masson.—The Marchioness de Pompadour.