Unseen Brushstrokes: Florence’s Forgotten Women Artists
In search of Florence’s forgotten female artist
Florence’s reputation as the cradle of the Renaissance arises in large part from the extraordinary men it produced—Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Filippo Brunelleschi, Galileo Galilei—all household names who have become synonymous with revolutionary achievements in art, architecture, and science. Yet even in a city so saturated with creativity and intellectual fervor, women were often overlooked, denied access to the same training and patronage, or confined to the margins of history.
Shadows of Genius: The Women Artists of Renaissance Florence
Imagine: Florence, a hub of creativity for over 500 years, from the Renaissance onward. Surely, there were women who painted—and painted well. Yet, their stories are seldom, if ever, told. These women defied societal norms to pursue their art despite their gender. While Florence undoubtedly had talented women—such as the painter Sister Plautilla Nelli—they did not enjoy the same opportunities to develop or showcase their work, nor did they benefit from the same level of historical documentation. Consequently, women’s contributions to the Renaissance, though very real, have been overshadowed by the towering legacies of their male contemporaries, leaving a conspicuous gap in the city’s otherwise celebrated cultural pantheon.
Female talent in the Renaissance
During the Renaissance, the intellectual and creative realms were largely dominated by men, with many viewing scholarly pursuits and artistic production as inherently masculine domains. Women who displayed these same gifts defied established norms, challenging the belief that their “natural” sphere was confined to the home or convent. In turn, they were often seen as anomalies—“wonders of nature” rather than legitimate peers. Even when these women produced remarkable works of art, they rarely received the same prestige or patronage afforded to their male counterparts. Instead, their paintings were treated as curious exceptions, rather than celebrated achievements in their own right.
“Simply being artistic, a woman entered the realm considered to belong only to men.” – Jennifer Lee, Assoc. Professor of Art History – Indiana University – Purdue University at Indianapolis
A mission to illuminate art’s shadow
Jane Fortune, an American art historian and founder of the non-profit Advancing Women Artists Foundation (AWA), dedicated her life to rediscovering and preserving the long-forgotten works of Florence’s female painters. Affectionately nicknamed “Indiana Jane,” she and her team scoured the archives, basements, and attics of Florence’s storied institutions—unearthing hidden masterpieces that had languished for centuries. Through meticulous restoration efforts, they brought renewed attention to the artistic achievements of women like Suor Plautilla Nelli and Artemisia Gentileschi, helping to rewrite the narrative of the Renaissance by recognizing female talent too often consigned to oblivion.
A legacy that continues to inspire
Although Jane Fortune passed away in 2018, her legacy endures in the renewed attention now paid to Florence’s once-forgotten female artists—a vibrant part of the city’s cultural tapestry that lay hidden for centuries. Through her tireless dedication, a lost dimension of Florentine art has been restored to its rightful place in history.
Fortune’s groundbreaking book, Invisible Women, published by The Florentine Press, inspired an Emmy-winning documentary—readily available on YouTube—that chronicles her extraordinary quest to uncover, restore, and celebrate the long-neglected works of women who helped shape the Renaissance.
