Lavinia Fontana (1552-1614) lived in Bologna, Italy. She was a contemporary of Sofonisba Anguissola, who was internationally known. Her father was a distinguished printed of the School of Bologna. Her earliest work was printed in 1575, ‘The Child of the Monkey’, At 23. She specialised in painted portraits and mainly on women of nobleman and of high society. She was particularly skilled in painting dresses. Her relationships with female clients were often warm and some became godparents of her children. Fontana married artist Gian Zappi in 1577. She gave birth to 11 children. After the marriage Fontana continued to paint to support her family. Zappi cared for the household and served as assistant agent in selling his wife’s painting. He also depicted small elements of her pictures such as draperies and another details. Lavinia was elected an honorary member of the University of Bologna and was honoured as a doctorate in 1580. In 1603, she and her family moved Rome on the invitation of Pope Clement VIII and appointed as a portraitist in the Vatican. Her career flourished in Rome. She was elected to the San Luca Academy in Rome. She died in 1614 and left behind over 100 of her work.

1. A 16th Century Female Painter
First created 26 2022. Version 1.0 - 8 Jun 2022. Daperro. London.
Lavinia Fontana
Self Portrait. 1577.

2. Uma Jovem.

3. Portrait of a Lady.

4. Portrait of a Lady.
Venus and Cupid. No date. Oil on canvas.
38.4x25 cm. Private.
Lavinia Fontana (1552-1614) lived in
Bologna, Italy. She was a
contemporary of Sofonisba
Anguissola also an Italian, who was
internationally known.

5. Portrait of a Lady.
This is a miniature painting,
intended for necklace pendant.

6. Girl in a Yellow Silk Dress.
Lavinia Fontana (1552-1614)
was born in Bologna. Her
father, Prospero was a
painting teacher at the
School of Bologna. She was
trained by her father.
Lavinia Fontana (1552-1614)
was a Mannerist painter and
a career painter. Her
husband was her agent and
together they have 11
children.

7. Lady Wearing a Ruff.

8. Gentleman in Armour.
Portrait of a Gentleman in
Armour (Detail). Date not
known. 217x120 cm.
Private.

9. Judith & Holofernes.

10. Girl with a Dog.

11. Self Portrait in Pregnancy.
Self Portrait in Pregnancy
(Detail). c1575-1585. Oil on
canvas. 88x112 cm. Galleria
Lorenzo Vatalara.
Fontana earliest work was
printed in 1575, ‘The Child
of the Monkey’, At 23. She
specialized in painted
portraits and mainly on
women of nobleman and
of high society. She was
particularly skilled in
painting dresses.

12. Self Portrait.

13. Self Portrait.
This was the self portrait, Lavinia
painted for her father-in-Law.
Fontana relationships with
female clients were often
warm and some became
godparents of her children.

14. Senator Orsini.
In 1603, Fontana and her
family moved Rome on the
invitation of Pope Clement
VIII and appointed as a
portraitist in the Vatican.

15. Young Girl.
Fontana career flourished
in Rome. She was elected
to the San Luca Academy
in Rome. She died in 1614
and left behind over 100 of
her work.

16. Annunciation.
Fontana made very few
religious paintings. This one of
the few paintings with religious
theme.

17. Portrait of a Prelate.
Fontana was elected as an
honorary member of the
University of Bologna and
was honoured as a doctorate
in 1580.

18. Noblewoman
Portrait of a Noblewoman. 1580. Oil
on canvas. 114.9 x 89.5 cm. National
Museum of Women in the Arts. NY.
This illustrates Lavinia
Fontana’s ability to render
sumptuous clothing and
jewels in astonishing details.

19. Laura Gonzaga

20. Portrait of aNotary
Many of Lavinia Fontana’s
(1552-1614) paintings are
under researched. Many of
her paintings have no date
and also in private
collections. Undoubted some
of these paintings may not be
even painted by Fontana,
herself.

21. Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII was Pope of the
Rome Catholic Church from 1572-
1585. His is best known for
commissioning the Gregorian
calendar, which remains in used
today.
In 1603, Fontana and her family
moved Rome on the invitation of
Pope Clement VIII and
appointed as a portraitist in the
Vatican.

22. Family Portrait.

23. Girolamo Mercuiali

24. Court Lady with Dog
Lavinia Fontana painted several
paintings on Ladies and their dogs.

25. Court Lady with Dog
Fontana married artist Gian Zappi
in 1577. She gave birth to 11
children. After the marriage
Fontana continued to paint to
support her family. Zappi cared
for the household and served as
assistant agent in selling his wife’s
painting. He also depicted small
elements of her pictures such as
draperies and another details.

26. Court Lady with Dog

27. Lady Portrait.
“The influence of Mannerism is
noticeable in Fontana's close
attention to detail in her paintings
and the significance of the
materials surrounding the
subject. Fontana's self-portraiture
strikes a balance between
presenting the artist as a
distinguished lady and as a
professional artist. This depiction
of two coexisting roles was
common for sixteenth-century
women artists.” Wikipedia.

28. Portrait of a Lady.

29. Allegory of Prudence
This quality of this painting is
rather poor and may not be
painted by Fontana.

30. Venus and Cupid

31. Costanza Sforza

32. Gabrielle Estrees.

33. Antonietta Gonsalvas.
Girl suffered from excessive facial hairs.

34. Ginevra Aldrovandi Hercolani.

35. Costanza Alidosi.

36. Marriage of St Catherine with St Francis

37. Consecration of the Virgin

38. Consecration of the Virgin (Detail)

39. Queen of Sheba to King Solomon

40. Queen of Sheba to King Solomon (Detail)
This one of the larger painting by Lavinia Fontana, a departure from her portraits.

41. Head of Youth.

42. Young Nobleman.

43. Minerva Dressing.
Minerva Dressing 1612-13. Oil on
canvas. 154x115 cm. Lavinia
Fontana (1552-1614). Italian.
Location unknown.

44. Bianca degli Utili Maselli.

45. Bianca degli Utili Maselli.

46. Bianca degli Utili Maselli.

47. Judith with the Head of Holofernes (Detail). No Date. Lavinia Fontana.
The
End
Music – Sad Romance Tears on Piano.

48. Female Painters

49. June 2022