Ladies of Easel Virtue: A Brief History of Female Artists in the Eternal City

Fruit of a lifelong interest in the tradition of trailblazing women of Italy, this lecture looks at some of the unsung heroines of the history of art. Liz Lev will present the context in which women artists flowered in Rome, and the challenges, both technical and social, they had to overcome. From the traumatic experience of Artemisia Gentileschi to the superstar success of Lavina Fontana, she will outline the golden age of female painters, interestingly nestled in the middle of the Counter Reformation. As the lecture moves into the more modern era, you'll hear about the first American to produce a public sculpture in Rome, (a woman) as well as the stirring story of Edmonia Lewis, the African American artist who found encouragement, fame and inspiration in the city of Popes and Caesars.