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Author: jnkgazmy

The School of Hibernia comes to Rome for St Brigid’s Day

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in News.

The collective behind the project, Na Cailleacha — an Irish term meaning “witch,” “divine hag,” or “wise woman” — consists of six visual artists, jazz musician Carole Nelson, and curator-writer Catherine Marshall. The group came together to explore themes of female creativity, ageing, and visibility in the arts.

Curator Catherine Marshall explained the motivation behind the work:

“We talk about the visibility of women a lot in the visual arts and are rightly critical of the art historical canon. Raphael’s School of Athens fresco is a powerful illustration of how pervasive patriarchy is in all aspects of life. Na Cailleacha decided to bring living women together to celebrate all the ways in which they have challenged history in a fun and provocative way. Response to the project has been extraordinary since it was announced in 2024, and we are now delighted to be presenting the work in Rome – the home of The School of Athens.”

Symposium and screening

The Rome symposium featured a distinguished panel of speakers, including Catherine Marshall; Professor Arnold Nesselrath, art historian and former Deputy Director of the Vatican Museum Collections; Caroline Campbell, the first woman director of the National Gallery of Ireland; Professor Rachel Moss of Trinity College Dublin; and Professor Emma Teeling of University College Dublin.

Reflecting on the project’s impact, Professor Rachel Moss said:

“The School of Hibernia marks a moment in female achievement that would have been inconceivable at the start of Na Cailleacha’s careers. This play on the patriarchal canon of art history is now on display in several universities and is still enjoying international publicity. For students about to embark on their own careers, it is a celebratory reminder that the shoulders of giants are no longer all male.”

The event concluded with the premiere of Rootstock: The Making of The School of Hibernia (after Raphael), a documentary by Therry Rudin, screened at Cinema Farnese Arthouse in Campo de’ Fiori.

Celebrating St Brigid’s Day

Ireland’s Ambassador to Italy, Elizabeth McCullough, welcomed the project’s arrival in Rome:

“The Embassy of Ireland is proud to support Na Cailleacha and Ireland-Italy Projects in bringing this thought-provoking work to Rome, the home of Raphael. St Brigid’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to highlight and celebrate the many achievements of women in Ireland and around the world. This event allows us to reflect on the significant progress attained since The School of Athens was created, and the important work that remains to ensure full equality for women in today’s world.”

Ireland-Italy Projects, founded in 2024 by Brenda Moore-McCann and Jane Adams, collaborated on the Rome presentation. Speaking about the initiative, they said:

“We are enthusiastic about a project that vividly contrasts Irish contemporary culture with an icon of Italy’s Renaissance.”

St Brigid’s Day, celebrated annually on 1 February, became Ireland’s newest public holiday in 2023, honouring the country’s female patron saint and the traditional beginning of spring.

More about Ireland-Italy Projects

Ireland-Italy Projects was founded by Brenda Moore-McCann and Jane Adams in 2024 to promote cultural exchange between Ireland and Italy. Their first event introduced the historically neglected Renaissance artist Suor Plautilla Nelli (1524-1588) to an Irish audience in Trinity College Dublin in 2024. For further information contact jane@artemisiagold.org or brendamooremccann@gmail.com

Photo: The School of Hibernia (after Raphael), 2024. Credit: Na Cailleacha.

Read the full Article Here: Wanted In Rome | Ireland.ie

Artist in Focus: Artemisia Gentileschi

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in Tours & Events.

Following a weekend of International Women’s Day celebrations, Art History in Focus presents a lecture dedicated to the extraordinary life and work of Artemisia Gentileschi, one of the most celebrated female painters in the history of art.

A follower of Caravaggio, whose work she encountered through his friendship with her father, Orazio Gentileschi, Artemisia rose to become one of the most sought-after painters of her time. She was the first woman admitted to the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno in Florence and achieved success in Rome, Venice, Naples and London, where she worked alongside her father for King Charles I. Among his acquisitions was her powerful allegorical self-portrait in the guise of La Pittura (Painting).

Despite personal trauma and the challenges of a male-dominated artistic world, Artemisia continued to overcome adversity, producing some of the most compelling and emotionally resonant works of the early seventeenth century.

This interactive online talk is given by Siân Walters, Director of Art History in Focus and Founding Honorary Chair of the International Art Council for Artemisia Gold, the charity dedicated to identifying, restoring and exhibiting artwork by women.

Event details

Date: Monday 9th March, 2026
Time: 6.00 pm (UK time)
Format: Live online lecture

Book your place:
https://arthistoryinfocus.com/register/

For more information please visit:
https://arthistoryinfocus.com/product/artist-in-focus-artemisia-gentileschi/

Private Tour of Artemisia Gentileschi at Galleria Spada

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in Tours & Events.

Artemisia Gold & Ireland-Italy Projects
are pleased to invite you to a private tour of the Spada Gallery
in the company of director Adriana Capriotti

With a focus on two paintings by Artemisia Gentileschi, her Madonna & Child and Santa Cecilia both subject to a recent diagnostic campaign and publication sponsored by Artemisia Gold.

Followed by a visit to the secret garden to see Borromini’s famous ‘Prospettiva’

Tuesday, 3rd February, 2026
Spada Gallery, Piazza Capodiferro
11.30 am

RSVP
to Jane Adams at jane@artemisiagold.org

Artemisia Gold, Inc. Launches in the United States to Champion Forgotten Female Artists

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in News.

Washington, D.C. United States

Born from years of restoration work in Italy, Artemisia Gold is dedicated to reviving the legacy of long-forgotten artists, with a focus on female artists whose contributions have been obscured or forgotten for centuries. Through research, restoration, and educational programs, the organization brings lost masterpieces and the stories behind them back into public view. It is our goal to ensure that these paintings will be visible and their authors recognized after this work.

“I am delighted to announce this important step for Artemisia Gold, Inc., which allows us to expand our mission across America, Europe, and the UK. Throughout history, many artists have faced obstacles that led to their work being forgotten, misattributed, or overlooked. Our role is to uncover this vital, forgotten artistic heritage and ensure these artists’ true stories are finally told.”
— Jane Adams, Founder and President, Artemisia Gold

Over the past five years, Artemisia Gold has made significant strides, including publishing an in-depth analytical study of Artemisia Gentileschi’s Madonna and Child in collaboration with the Galleria Spada in Rome, and restoring another Gentileschi masterpiece, Sinite Parvulos Venire (Let the Children Come to Me), from the Church of San Carlo al Corso, Rome. This project was directed by Adams and made possible by the generous donation of fellow Board Member Mark Smith. These milestones reflect Artemisia’s Gold’s dedication to preserving and illuminating important works of art for a global audience.

In 2024, to celebrate the 500th birthday of Florence’s first recognized female artist, Suor Plautilla Nelli, Artemisia Gold co-sponsored and directed the restoration of two of her works: the monumental altarpiece Madonna of the Rosary in the Church of San Giuseppe and Santa Lucia in Montaione, and the panel Mother and Child with Saint Dominique, Saint Catherine, and Saint Agnes from a private Florentine collection. A Dominican nun and largely self-taught Renaissance painter, Nelli created exceptional art that was admired by her contemporaries. She also ran a thriving workshop at her convent overseeing the production of religious paintings and sculptures by her sister nuns. Her legacy, long overlooked, has gained increased recognition thanks to the rediscovery and restoration of her paintings.

Looking Ahead: Restoration Projects for 2026

Artemisia Gold is embarking on its most ambitious chapter to date, launching two significant restoration projects that continue its mission to bring historically important works and the women who created them back into the light. The first, to be announced imminently, centers on a remarkable altarpiece by Plautilla Bricci, the pioneering 17th-century painter and Rome’s first female architect.

Adams believes American audiences, known for their deep appreciation of art and cultural history, will be inspired to rediscover these artists, celebrate their achievements, and help restore long-overlooked masterpieces to public view.

Coming Soon

The organization will soon announce a new restoration project and launch an International Art Council program with distinguished honorary chairs Mary Garrard, Catherine Turrill-Lupi, Catherine Loewe, and Sian Walters.

American art collectors, Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt, have also agreed to support the program. Bennett and Schmidt, who collect only works by women painters, are the founders of The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Realist Painters and are the namesakes of the newly opened Bennett Schmidt Pavilion at the Muskegon Museum of Art in Muskegon, Michigan. Bennett and Schmidt are also committed to the conservation and restoration of works by Renaissance and Baroque painters. Accordingly, their collection contains paintings attributed to Plautilla Nelli, Artemisia Gentileschi and Diana de Rosa as well as works by contemporary women painters.

View Media Kit

Presentation and Symposium of Na Cailleacha, School of Hibernia (after Raphael) 2024

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in Tours & Events.

You are invited to join H.E. Elizabeth McCullough of the Embassy of Ireland,
Ireland–Italy Projects and Na Cailleacha at the

Presentation and Symposium of Na Cailleacha, School of Hibernia (after Raphael) 2024

at
Crypt, Chiesa di Santa Brigida
Piazza Farnese, 96, 00186 Rome, Italy

Monday, February 2nd, 2026
Symposium 2.00 – 5.00 pm

Curator
Catherine Marshall

Speakers
Professor Rachel Moss
Professor Arnold Nesselrath
Dr. Caroline Campbell
Professor Emma Teeling

The symposium will be followed by a reception and the première of the film
Rootstock: The Making of The School of Hibernia (after Raphael) 2024
by Thierry Rudin, at Cinema Farnese Arthouse (with Italian-language subtitles).

Admission is free, but booking is required. RSVP to either:

brendamooremccann@gmail.com
jane@artemisiagold.org

Première of the documentary film
Rootstock: The Making of The School of Hibernia (after Raphael) (2024)
by Therry Rudin

Cinema Farnese Arthouse
Campo de’ Fiori 56, Rome

Reception with music by Carole Nelson
5:30 – 6:00 pm

Extracts “Articoli Signore” by Elisa Pistis
6:00 – 6:20 pm

Introduction to the film by Vittoria Colonna
6:30 – 6:40 pm

Screening
6:40 – 7:20 pm (with Italian language subtitles)

Panel, Questions and Answers
7:30 – 8:00 pm

Programme

The Journey Of Renaissance Women Through Italy’s Hidden Artistic History

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in News.

Listen now on Speaking of Travel®

In this powerful episode of Speaking of Travel, host Marilyn Ball is joined by Jane Adams—art historian, former Director of Partnership Relations for Advancing Women Artists, and now CEO of Artemisia Gold. Together, they uncover the hidden legacy of Italy’s forgotten women artists.

What begins as a tribute to the vision of Jane Fortune becomes a deep and moving conversation about justice, memory, and reclaiming history. Jane Adams shares remarkable stories of discovery, from dust-covered altarpieces to long-neglected portraits, revealing how these works—once buried in basements and storerooms—are being restored and reintroduced into the cultural spotlight.

With insight, urgency, and warmth, Jane speaks about the artists behind the brush, the battles to restore their works, and the emotional resonance of seeing them finally honored. She also introduces an unforgettable art pilgrimage across Italy, co-led with travel expert Kiki Keating, inviting travelers to walk in the footsteps of these Renaissance women and witness their art firsthand.

This is more than a podcast—it’s a call to see what history has overlooked and to honor the women who dared to create in silence. Tune in for a journey through art, advocacy, and awe.

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A Tour Through Italian History, Heritage, and Culture

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in Tours & Events.

Book by October 31 and receive $500 off the tour! https://www.kikinetworktravel.com/home/artandcultureitaly2025

Stroll through the ancient streets of Rome, visit the hills of Umbria, and enjoy the beauty of Florence during the holiday season on a small group tour. 

Join Kiki Keating and me (Jane Adams) as we explore the magic of Italy, savor authentic Italian cuisine, unwind in exceptional hotels, indulge in exclusive wine tastings, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Wander the streets of Italy, enjoy holiday shopping, and bring home made by hand Italian treasures for your friends and family. If you wish, you’ll have the chance to participate in workshops during these visits.

Join us for a private stay at Il Borro, the Ferragamo family estate. Discover the philosophy of sustainability that guides decisions about the estate and its small medieval village, where artists, artisans, and visitors still share the authentic style and quality of life that has made Tuscany a favorite destination for centuries. Visit private palazzos and enjoy exclusive tours, shop with today’s artists and artisans, watching as they create one-of-a-kind Italian jewelry, fashion, and more – just for you. Read about the artisans you will meet and shop with: Betty Soldi, Marina Calamai, Vittoria Colonna and more.

Learn about artists who contributed to the Renaissance and Baroque eras of Italian art. Explore the lives of two groundbreaking figures: Artemisia Gentileschi, the celebrated Baroque artist, and Suor Plautilla Nelli, Florence’s pioneering Renaissance artist. Or enjoy free time to wander the streets of Italy and discover your own hidden treasures!

Book your dream Italian adventure today! Book by October 31 and take $500 off the tour cost. Book here: https://www.kikinetworktravel.com/home/artandcultureitaly2025

With Artemisia Gold CIC, founded by Jane Adams, your journey supports the restoration of artworks by forgotten female artists, making your trip more meaningful. Witness the impact of your contributions while celebrating Italy’s rich cultural legacy. Don’t miss this opportunity to honor art, history, and the artists who made it so remarkable. 

A percentage of the tour cost will be donated to support the restoration work planned by Artemisia Gold in 2025/2026, ensuring your name will be forever tied to these projects and their legacy. Learn more here: www.artemisiagold.org. Or contact us with any questions:  jane@artemisiagold.org

Kiki Network Travel

Kiki Keating is not your ordinary travel expert. Her passion for creating life-changing travel experiences led her to found KikiNetwork Travel, a company that curates unique, detail-oriented adventures focusing on culture, history, and local interactions. She has a passion for taking small groups on journeys and works tirelessly to ensure that every detail of each trip is meticulously planned and executed.

Kiki’s 20 years of dedication to providing the highest level of service is evident in her approach to crafting each journey. Collaborating with the best experts and guides from around the world, she combines their knowledge and expertise with her own to create itineraries that go beyond the beaten path. Kiki’s trips offer a blend of history, art, music, amazing food, and authentic interactions with the local people. Learn more here: www.kikinetworktravel.com, or contact Kiki with any questions. kiki@kikinetwork.com. 

A Private Journey Through Italian History, Heritage, and Culture
  • Dates: December 5 – December 14, 2025
  • Group Size: 8 – 12 participants
  • Price: $9,950 per person (shared room)
  • Single Supplement: +$1,950
  • Deposit: 40% required to reserve your place
Full Itinerary Here
Book Now
Download PDF

Restoration of Madonna del Rosario by Plautilla Nelli

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in News.

Born in 1524, Plautilla Nelli was a Dominican nun at the Florentine Convent of Santa Caterina da Siena, Florence, a largely self-taught artist who gained popularity for her emotionally resonant religious works. Madonna del Rosario, one of her most beautiful pieces, demonstrates her mastery in conveying devotional subjects with vivid detail and emotive expression. Although Plautilla’s art was celebrated and collected by her contemporaries, it was not until the 2000’s that her accomplishments as a Renaissance painter and workshop administrator began to receive widespread recognition from modern viewers. 

Fausta Navarro, historian and curator of the 2017 Plautilla Nelli exhibition at the Uffizi Gallery discovered the Montaione altarpiece while doing research in 2016. She was the first person to attribute it to Plautilla. Catherine Turrill-Lupi, historian and Professor Emerita at California State University, Sacramento, has studied this painting and other paintings by Plautilla and her ‘Bottega’ that also have come to light recently.  

Under the guidance of Anna Floridia, with the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the metropolitan city of Florence and the provinces of Pistoia and Prato, a team of experts used a full range of careful diagnostics, analysis, and preservation techniques to uncover the original vibrancy and details of the painting. The restoration process was led by Florentine restorer Rossella Lari. The CNR National Institute of Optics provided crucial technical support for the diagnostic phase. 

Special recognition goes to the sponsors who made this restoration possible:
Main Sponsor: Tenuta di Castelfalfi S.p.A.
Other Sponsors: Banca Cambiano 1884 S.p.A., Bi.Bru s.r.l and Jane Adams of Artemisia Gold CIC.
We also thank Marina Calamai, De’Bardi Restaurant and Enoteca and Alessandro Bini s.r.l. as Sponsors of activities to promote the restoration.

Plautilla’s Madonna del Rosario is installed in the Church of San Giuseppe and Santa Lucia, Montaione, which was built in 1562 for a group of local women determined to create a sanctuary of faith. Remarkably, the altarpiece remains in its original frame, which has also been carefully restored as part of this project.

For the Mayor of Montaione Paolo Pomponi, “the restoration of the Madonna of the Rosary attributed to Plautilla Nelli represents the crowning achievement of an intervention to safeguard and enhance one of the most precious jewels of Montaione’s cultural heritage, strongly desired by the Municipal Administration. Made possible thanks to the economic contribution of some local sponsors, whom we sincerely thank for helping us to realize a project that was initially thought to be too difficult to accomplish.” “We are even more proud,“ the mayor reiterates, ‘’because this project involves a work of art located in the church of Saints Joseph and Lucy (known to the locals as ’church of the nuns”), a place that has always been very dear to the citizens and that today, after this careful restoration, sees it return to its original splendor’’.

The unveiling ceremony was followed by a short presentation about the restoration process and a guided examination of the painting, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about Plautilla’s artistry, the historical significance of the painting, and the meticulous efforts that went into its recent restoration. A presentation that represents not only the restoration of a resplendent work of art but also a celebration of the unsung female artists of the Renaissance. Plautilla Nelli’s achievements, and those of other female artists in Florence, continue to inspire today, thanks to the dedication efforts of scholars, restorers, and philanthropists working together to save and highlight their forgotten contributions.

For more information or media inquiries, please contact:
Ufficio Cultura del Comune di Montaione
Tel: + 39 0571 699205
Email: cultura@comune.montaione.fi.it

Jane Adams
Tel: +39 335 7310664
Email: jane@artemisiagold.org

Event Details:
Date: December 14, 2024
Time: 10:30 AM
Location: Chiesa dei SS. Giuseppe e Lucia, Piazza del Municipio, Montaione

About Plautilla Nelli – Plautilla Nelli (1524–1588) was a Dominican nun and one of the first known female painters in Florence during the Renaissance. Her works, which include Madonna del Rosario, are celebrated for their devotional intensity and technical brilliance. More of her works can be found in Florence (Museum of San Marco, Museum of the Cenacolo di Andrea del Sarto, Uffizi Gallery, Museum of Palazzo Vecchio), Fiesole, Siena, Perugia, Assisi, Utrecht and USA. Her most important accomplishment is her masterpiece Last Supper that was restored by Rossella Lari and unveiled in 2019, a project funded by Jane Fortune and Advancing Women Artists. The painting is now at the Museum of Santa Maria Novella, Florence.  Plautilla’s legacy as a pioneering female artist in a male-dominated field is only now being recognized, thanks to the restoration of her works and scholarly efforts to highlight her contribution to Renaissance art.

About Artemisia Gold CIC – Artemisia Gold is a UK-based not-for-profit working globally, dedicated to reviving the love and appreciation for art through education, restoration, and immersive experiences. Founder Jane Adams, who worked with Jane Fortune and the Advancing Women Artists Foundation (closed after Fortune’s passing in 2018) strives to continue her quest. The mission is simple but powerful: to rediscover, research, and restore overlooked masterpieces, with a special focus on female artists throughout history. Offering unique opportunities for students, professionals, and art lovers to explore European art from the 1200s onward. Our work not only saves important, neglected artworks but also elevates the voices of forgotten female artists who deserve recognition. We collaborate with leading institutions, museums, churches, and scholars and form global partnerships to ensure our restoration projects are world-class and impactful. Artemisia Gold also fosters a thriving international community of students, scholars, and professionals by providing access to lectures, workshops, and events that enhance their understanding of art history and restoration. We’re committed to nurturing the next generation of art historians and restorers through hands-on opportunities.

2024, in celebration of Plautilla Nelli’s 500th Birthday Anniversary, Artemisia Gold is honoured to have participated in two restoration projects of paintings by Plautilla Nelli, including the beautiful Montaione altarpiece and a small panel painting of The Madonna and Child with Saint Dominic, Saint Catherine and Sant’Agnes. Artemisia Gold also hosted events and lectures in Florence at the Museum of Santa Maria Novella, Museum of San Marco, Biennale, Palazzo Corsini, Palazzo Tornabuoni as well as a special invitation to host a symposium at the Long Room Hub, Trinity College Dublin. 

2025 will see ongoing initiatives surrounding Plautilla Nelli and the presentation of a new publication about Artemisia Gentileschi and two of her most loved works: Mother and Child and Santa Cecilia at the Spada Gallery in Rome. 

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Leonardo4Children 2024 “From Leonardo to Puccini”

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in News, Tours & Events.

The annual Leonardo4Children Awards Ceremony and charity concert, “From Leonardo to Puccini,” was a resounding success on October 4, 2024, in Brussels, bringing together 550 enthusiastic participants.

The concert showcased the remarkable talents of young singers from Lycée Francais Jean Monnet and European School Brussels IV, alongside a captivating theatre performance of “Le Piccole Canaglie.” We were also thrilled to feature exceptional professional musicians, including Sara Barakat, Olga Artemenko, Phaedra Pribilla, Valentina Volpe Andreazza, Bruno Ispiola, and Laurent Beeckmans.

This event would not have been possible without the support of our partners and the active participation of our attendees. Together, we raised over €3,000 for young people in need in Belgium through the Boost for Talents project of the King Baudouin Foundation. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this meaningful cause!

Sisterhood in Art

Written by jnkgazmy on . Posted in Tours & Events.

October 1, 2024, Palazzo Corsini sul Lungarno

The International Biennial of Antiques in Florence is hosting the conference “Sisterhood in Art” to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the birth of Plautilla Nelli, a pioneering female artist. The event will feature prominent speakers, including Jane Adams, Co-Founder of Caravaggio & Contemporary, Dr. Elisa Gradi, an art historian and lecturer at the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute, Dr. William Johnson from the Restoration Department, and Dr. Roberta Lapucci, Head of the Restoration Department at LdM. This tribute aims to highlight Nelli’s contributions to art and the importance of women’s voices in the artistic landscape.