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Media Coverage: The Dot Cultura Highlights Artemisia Gold’s Plautilla Bricci Restoration Project

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in News.

Author: Sebastiana Gangemi
Source/Credit: The Dot Cultura

Artemisia Gold’s conservation and research initiative dedicated to Plautilla Bricci’s Birth of the Virgin has been featured in The Dot Cultura in an article by journalist Sebastiana Gangemi.

The article explores the significance of Bricci’s monumental 1660 altarpiece, housed in the Church of Santa Maria in Campo Marzio in Rome, and examines the ambitious restoration and research programme launched by Artemisia Gold.

Beyond the conservation of the painting itself, the project includes technical and scientific analysis, diagnostic investigations, art historical research, educational initiatives, media outreach, a bilingual Italian-English scholarly publication, a documentary film, and a future public exhibition. The initiative seeks not only to restore the physical integrity of the work, but also to advance understanding of Plautilla Bricci’s artistic practice and reinforce her position within the history of Baroque art.

The article highlights the exceptional nature of Birth of the Virgin, a rare seventeenth-century altarpiece centred on female figures and commissioned by Abbess Anna Maria Mazzarino for the Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria della Concezione a Campo Marzio. It also discusses the importance of the project as an opportunity to study Bricci’s materials, techniques, and creative process for the first time through comprehensive scientific investigation.

Plautilla Bricci (1616–1705) is increasingly recognised as one of the most remarkable women artists of the Roman Baroque. A painter, architect, and sculptor, she remains one of the few documented women to have practised architecture professionally in seventeenth-century Europe.

Read the Original Article

Il grande progetto sulla Natività della Vergine di Plautilla Bricci
By Sebastiana Gangemi

Read the article on The Dot Cultura

About the Project

The total budget for the restoration and research initiative is $150,000. Funds raised will support conservation treatment, scientific analysis, documentation, publication, education, and public engagement activities designed to bring renewed attention to the life and work of Plautilla Bricci and ensure the preservation of one of her most important surviving masterpieces.

The Making of an Icon – Exhibition Introduction

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in Tours & Events.

Frida: The Making of an Icon – Exhibition Introduction is a live online lecture presented by Art History in Focus, offering an insightful preview of Tate Modern’s landmark exhibition dedicated to the life, work, and global legacy of Frida Kahlo.

Few artists have captured the public imagination as powerfully as Frida Kahlo. Born in Mexico City in the years following the Mexican Revolution, Kahlo developed a deeply personal artistic language rooted in Mexican culture, indigenous traditions, political engagement, and lived experience. Her extraordinary self-portraits remain among the most recognisable images in modern art, exploring themes of identity, resilience, family, physical suffering, and self-expression.

Led by renowned art historian Siân Walters, this lecture examines the key themes and highlights of Tate Modern’s exhibition before it opens to the public. Featuring more than thirty paintings by Kahlo, including rarely seen self-portraits, the exhibition traces her transformation from a relatively little-known artist into a global cultural icon. Alongside her artworks, visitors will encounter photographs, personal artefacts, and works by artists inspired by her enduring influence.

The session will explore Kahlo’s carefully constructed public identity, her relationship with Surrealism, her role within Mexican and feminist cultural movements, and the continuing reinterpretation of her legacy by contemporary artists. It also considers the remarkable evolution of her image into a worldwide cultural phenomenon and the complex questions surrounding its commercialisation.

The lecture lasts approximately one hour and includes a live question-and-answer session. A recording will be available for registered participants who are unable to attend live, allowing access for a limited period following the event.

Event Details

Hosted by: Art History in Focus
Lecturer: Siân Walters
Date & Time: Wednesday, 24 June 2026, 6:00 PM (BST)
Format: Live Online Lecture

How to Attend

Register via the official event page:

Art History in Focus Event Registration

  • Click “Book This Course/Event” and complete the online registration form.
  • A Zoom registration link will be sent by email prior to the lecture.
  • Participation fee: £10 per person.
  • Bookings close the day before the event.

More Information

For more information about the organisations involved, please visit:

Image: Frida Kahlo, Untitled (Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird), 1940. Nickolas Muray Collection of Mexican Art.

Leonardo 4 Children Summer School 2026: Climate, Equality & Peace

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in Tours & Events.

Leonardo 4 Children Summer School 2026 is an immersive educational programme designed to inspire creativity, curiosity, and collaboration through the themes of climate, equality, and peace. Taking place between Florence and Vinci from 29 June to 2 July 2026, the programme brings together cultural institutions, educators, artists, and researchers to offer a unique interdisciplinary learning experience for young participants.

The Summer School welcomes children aged 6–12 and young people aged 13–18, offering a rich programme of workshops, museum visits, and hands-on activities inspired by the worlds of art, science, music, design, theatre, and innovation.

Participants will begin their journey at the Museo Leonardiano in Vinci, exploring the life, inventions, and enduring legacy of Leonardo da Vinci through guided visits and educational activities. The programme then continues in Florence at the Fondazione Zeffirelli, where students will engage in workshops inspired by the artistic vision of Franco Zeffirelli, including cinema, opera, theatre, music, visual arts, restoration, design, and applied arts.

The Summer School is organised by Leonardo 4 Children and Fondazione Carano 4 Children in collaboration with the Museo Leonardiano di Vinci and Fondazione Zeffirelli. Among the contributors are educators from the Museo Leonardiano, Fondazione Zeffirelli, Erika Zoi, Gisella Cosi, Marina Calamai, and Jane Adams.

Through creativity, cultural exchange, and hands-on learning, Leonardo 4 Children Summer School encourages participants to develop new skills, explore their artistic potential, and engage with the values of inclusion, sustainability, and peace.

Event Details

Dates: 29 June – 2 July 2026
Locations: Florence & Vinci, Tuscany, Italy
Age Groups:
• Children aged 6–12 (maximum 20 participants)
• Young people aged 13–18 (maximum 25 participants)

VIEW PDF

Registration Deadline: 31 May 2026

More Information

For more information about the programme and participating organisations, please visit:

For enquiries: info@carano4children.org

National Gallery Tour: Women Artists with Siân Walters & Jane Adams

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in Tours & Events.

Presented by Artemisia Gold in collaboration with Art History in Focus and WAAW World, this special guided tour explores the stories of women artists and female patrons represented within the National Gallery’s collection.

Led by distinguished art historian and lecturer Siân Walters, participants will discover works by artists including Artemisia Gentileschi and Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, alongside paintings commissioned by influential women whose contributions helped shape the artistic landscape of their time.

Drawing upon decades of research and teaching experience, Siân Walters will provide insight into the historical context, artistic significance, and enduring relevance of these works, while highlighting the broader challenges of visibility and recognition faced by women artists throughout history.

Joining the tour will be Jane Adams, President and CEO of Artemisia Gold, the international charity dedicated to the rediscovery, restoration, research, and exhibition of artworks by historically overlooked women artists.

This intimate 90-minute experience offers a unique opportunity to engage with art history through a fresh perspective while learning about the ongoing efforts to restore women artists to their rightful place within the cultural canon.

Date & Time: Tuesday, 9 June 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (BST)
Location: The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN
Meeting Point: Lobby of the Sainsbury Wing Entrance at 11:00 AM

Presented by: Artemisia Gold, Art History in Focus & WAAW World.

For more information about the organisations involved, please visit:

Italy’s Lost Women Artists Are Being Found And Rewritten Into History

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in News.

Listen now on Speaking of Travel®

There’s something quietly extraordinary unfolding in Italy, inside museums, churches, and hidden archives where history has long rested in silence.

For centuries, luminous works of art created by women were tucked away, overlooked, or forgotten. Not because they lacked brilliance, but because their stories were never fully told. And still, they remained, waiting, holding their place in time.

Today, that silence is beginning to lift.

In this episode of Speaking of Travel, we’re joined by Jane Adams, co-founder and CEO of Artemisia Gold, and Susan Glimcher, whose work is helping to gently return these artists, and their voices, back into the world.

As Jane shares, “It feels less like discovering something new, and more like listening… as if these women have been speaking all along, and we are finally quiet enough to hear them.”

Together, they reflect on the beauty and emotion of restoration, not just of paintings, but of presence. Of stories re-emerging. We also explore the enduring legacy of Artemisia Gentileschi, whose life and work continue to resonate so deeply today, reminding us of the strength and resilience of women throughout history.

This is more than art. It’s a return. A remembering. A quiet but undeniable shift in how we see, and who we choose to see, when we look at history. And now, as this movement grows, Italy opens its doors and invites you to step into these stories and witness history alive again.

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Plautilla Bricci’s Birth of the Virgin, Rome

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in Art In Need.

Plautilla Bricci Birth of the Virgin Restoration Project Sponsorship: $150,000 total budget; $60,000 raised to date, with $90,000 remaining to reach our goal. The project budget supports restoration, diagnostic analysis, documentation, scholarly research, media promotion, project management, and educational programming, including a scholarly Italian-English publication, documentary film, and public exhibition. We are thrilled to announce that $60,000 has already been raised, reflecting strong early support as we continue to secure the remaining funding. We would be tremendously grateful if you would consider making a donation toward the remaining $90,000 needed to complete this important restoration project.

PLAUTILLA BRICCI

First Architect and Painter of Rome

Portrait of an architect, Plautilla Bricci (?) (1655-1660). Private collection, Los Angeles.

  • INTRODUCTION

    In the Spring of 2026, Artemisia Gold, a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and advancement of masterworks by female artists, will undertake its next major initiative – the restoration of Plautilla Bricci’s monumental altarpiece Birth of the Virgin, located in the Church of Santa Maria in Campo Marzio in Rome.

    Hailed as the first female architect and painter of Rome, Plautilla Bricci was one of the most extraordinary figures of the 17th century. She stands out as a painter, architect, and polymath—often described as the only “universal” female artist of her time. According to Jane Adams, Founder and CEO of Artemisia Gold and leader of the restoration project, Bricci’s Birth of the Virgin is not only a magnificent artistic achievement but also a remarkable display of female agency for its time. The female Abbess Anna Maria Mazzarino commissioned the female artist Plautilla Bricci to paint a female-dominated composition—the Birth of the Virgin—an unusual occurrence in the 17th century. “That’s very rare and it’s very special.”

    Artemisia Gold aims not only to restore the physical integrity and visual brilliance of this remarkable work, but also to advance scholarly understanding of Bricci’s artistic practice, elevate her place within the canon of Baroque art, and share her legacy with a global audience through research, conservation, and education to inspire generations to come.

  • PROJECT OVERVIEW

    Plautilla Bricci (Rome, 13 August 1616 – Rome, 13 December 1705) was a singular figure of an artist active around the middle of the 17th century, unique among female artists in that, in addition to being a painter and architect, she was also a draughtsman, an amateur musician and even a sculptor.

    Plautilla Bricci’s Birth of the Virgin is a magnificent altarpiece (3.53m x 2.23m) located in the first chapel on the right of the Church of Santa Maria in Campo Marzio, located in the heart of Rome, very close to the Parliament and Piazza del Pantheon. The most recent studies point to the painter and “architect” Plautilla Bricci (Coppolaro 2023) as the author of the work on the basis of documentation.

    Bricci was famous in her time for having designed the Villa del Vascello on the Colle Gianicolo for Elpidio Benedetti, Cardinal Mazarin’s agent in Rome, as well as the Chapel of St. Louis in the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi, for which she executed the architectural design and also the altarpiece. In the same church, the Contarelli chapel also houses Caravaggio’s three paintings of the Stories of St. Matthew. Her stature as a painter and her personality were brought to the attention of the general public with Melania Mazzucco’s novel L’architettrice (2019), and only recently have the catalogue of her works and the context of her activity been fully explored by art-historical studies (Lollobrigida 2021; Primarosa 2022; 2024), up to the exhibition Una Rivoluzione Silenziosa, Plautilla Bricci, Pittrice e Architettrice dedicated to her in 2023 at the Gallerie Nazionali d’Arte Antica in Palazzo Corsini.

    The painting is dated to the 1660s and was commissioned by Anna Maria Mazzarino, sister of the powerful cardinal and abbess of the monastery of Santa Maria in Campo Marzio. The scene takes place in an interior, with the figures arranged on different levels. In the foreground is the midwife surrounded by various other helpers, Saint Anne and the newborn Virgin. In the background to the right is the bed with the parturient, assisted by handmaids, surmounted by a large open drape as a backdrop. In the upper part is the divine participation in the scene, with an angel in the center, seated on clouds and surrounded by seraphim.

    The work is in a precarious state of conservation and is in desperate need of restoration. For this reason, it was decided to propose a project that would not only contribute to the preservation of the painting and its transmission to the future, but which would also be an opportunity to study – this would be the first – the technique used by the artist, the painting materials, and ultimately retrace the steps that led Plautilla to achieve such a fascinating result. Material choices condition the visual rendering of a painting, so: How

    did she design the composition? How did she process it on canvas? Are there compositional changes? What pigments did she use? What was her painting technique? The data that will be acquired can be placed in the context of the studies already available which have traced the painting back to the hand of Plautilla.

  • CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

    Artemisia Gold has engaged the following distinguished team of experts to complete the project: 

    • Restoration work: Lorenza M.G.D’Alessandro, Restauratrice Opere d’Arte
    • Scientific investigations: Emmebi Diagnostica Artistica
    • Art-historical consultancy: Marco Coppolaro PhD, Italian Ministry of Culture

  • EDUCATION INITIATIVES

    During the scientific investigation and restoration work, filming will be carried out for the production of an educational documentary film. At the end of the restoration, it is planned to hold a public presentation and a didactic exhibition in the church next to the painting, and to produce an Italian-English publication of scientific value for a wide audience. The complex of Santa Maria in Campo Marzio houses the Prosecutor’s Office of the Holy See of the Patriarchate of Antioch and is fully available to host the initiatives outlined here.

  • PROJECT INCLUDES:

    • Art history research
    • Diagnostic testing
    • Photographic campaign
    • Presentation of new volume
    • Press Conference and presentation of project
    • National and International press campaign
    • Presentation of the painting and comparisons of similar works Inaugural events

  • INFO

    • Artist: Plautilla Bricci
    • Technique: Oil painting on canvas
    • Subject: The Birth of the Virgin
    • Date: 1660
    • Size: 345 x 206cm

Plautilla Bricci, The Birth of the Virgin, c. 1660. Church of Santa Maria in Campo Marzio, Rome; image courtesy of Consuelo Lollobrigida. 

  • Church of Santa Maria in Campo Marzio, Rome – Exterior

  • Church of Santa Maria in Campo Marzio, Rome – Interior Alter

  • Church of Santa Maria in Campo Marzio, Rome, Plautilla Bricci, The Birth of the Virgin, c. 1660

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The School of Hibernia in Rome for St Brigid’s Day

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in News.

Published In: Visual Artists’ News Sheet (VAN)
Issue: March – April 2026, Issue 2
Author: Brenda Moore-McCann
Source Credit: Visual Artists’ News Sheet — Visual Artists Ireland
PDF: View full article

Published in the March–April 2026 issue of Visual Artists’ News Sheet, this article by Brenda Moore-McCann reflects on the Rome presentation of The School of Hibernia, a landmark contemporary artwork by the Irish collective Na Cailleacha.

Originally conceived in Dublin, the project reinterprets Raphael’s School of Athens through a feminist lens, replacing its canonical male figures with 41 contemporary women from across disciplines including art, science, politics, literature and activism. Captured in a large-scale photographic tableau by Ros Kavanagh, the work functions both as a reimagining of art history and a powerful collective portrait of female achievement.

The Rome iteration, organised by Ireland–Italy Projects and co-founded by Jane Adams, formed part of the celebrations for St Brigid’s Day, Ireland’s female patron saint. Hosted in the crypt of the Chiesa Santa Brigida in Piazza Farnese, the programme included a symposium featuring leading figures such as Professor Arnold Nesselrath, Catherine Marshall, Professor Rachel Moss and Caroline Campbell, among others.

Discussions explored themes ranging from revisions of art historical narratives to the role of women in science and cultural production, reflecting the interdisciplinary spirit of the project. The event continued at Cinema Farnese Arthouse with a series of performances, screenings and discussions, including the premiere of Rootstock (2024), a documentary tracing the evolution of The School of Hibernia.

As highlighted in the article, the work stands as both a critical intervention into the patriarchal structures of Western art history and a celebration of contemporary women shaping cultural and intellectual life today.

Michaelina Wautier at the Royal Academy

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in Tours & Events.

Hosted by: Art History in Focus
Lecturer: Prof. Katlijne Van der Stighelen
Date & Time: Thursday, 28 May, 6:00 PM (BST)
Format: Live Online Lecture

Michaelina Wautier at the Royal Academy is a live online lecture presented by Art History in Focus, offering an exclusive introduction to the Royal Academy’s major exhibition dedicated to this rediscovered 17th-century master.

Active in Brussels during the Baroque period, Michaelina Wautier is now recognised as one of the leading artists of her time, despite centuries in which her works were misattributed or overlooked. Her rediscovery is largely due to the pioneering research of Professor Katlijne Van der Stighelen, who first identified her authorship and has since dedicated decades to reconstructing her legacy.

This lecture provides unique insight into Wautier’s artistic range — from portraits and still lifes to ambitious history paintings — and introduces key works featured in the Royal Academy exhibition (27 March – 21 June 2026).

The session will also explore the story behind her monumental Triumph of Bacchus, a work that challenged long-held assumptions about the scope and ambition of women artists in the 17th century.

The lecture lasts approximately one hour, including a live Q&A, and a recording will be available for a limited time following the event for registered participants.

How to Attend

Her Art, Part 4: From Muse to Maker: Women Artists Reclaim Modernism

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in Tours & Events.

Hosted by: Art with Tosca
Date & Time: March 31, 2026
Format: Online Lecture
Sign Up: Eventbrite

Her Art, Part 4: From Muse to Maker: Women Artists Reclaim Modernism continues the lecture series dedicated to rediscovering women artists whose contributions have long been overlooked.

Hosted by Art with Tosca, this session examines a pivotal moment in early 20th-century art, when women began to move beyond their traditional roles as subjects and muses to become recognised as creators and innovators in their own right.

The lecture explores how these artists challenged dominant narratives, asserted authorship over their work, and played an active role in shaping modernism. By reframing the historical lens, the session highlights the intellectual and creative agency of women artists who helped redefine artistic production during this transformative period.

Through this exploration, the lecture contributes to a broader re-evaluation of art history, expanding the canon to include voices and practices that have too often been excluded.

Her Art, Part 3: Breaking Boundaries at the Dawn of Modernism (1900–1930)

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in Tours & Events.

Hosted by: Art with Tosca
Date & Time: March 24, 2026
Format: Online Lecture
Sign up: Eventbrite — Art with Tosca

Her Art, Part 3: Breaking Boundaries at the Dawn of Modernism (1900–1930) is part of an ongoing lecture series dedicated to rediscovering women artists who have been historically overlooked.

Hosted by Art with Tosca, this session focuses on a transformative period in art history, when modernism began to take shape and artists challenged long-established academic traditions. The lecture examines how women artists actively participated in — and contributed to — this shift, despite institutional barriers that often excluded them from formal recognition.

Spanning the early 20th century, the talk highlights key figures who pushed artistic and social boundaries, redefining genres, experimenting with new forms of expression, and asserting their place within the evolving modern art movement.

Through a broader cultural and historical lens, the lecture offers insight into how these artists not only responded to modernity but helped shape it — laying the groundwork for future generations and expanding the canon of art history.