Conference to celebrate Plautilla Nelli and her 500th Birthday year with important new findings and research presented by Museum Director Dr. Angelo Tartuferi, Dr. Catherine Turrill-Lupi, world leading Nelli scholar and Plautilla Nelli inspired dance performance by ‘Kaos Balletto’.
For the first time, the painting by Plautilla Nelli “Madonna and Child with Saint Dominic, Saint Catherine, and Saint Agnes” (private collection) was exhibited to the public after being restored by advanced students of the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute.
A Renaissance figure and one of the first recognized female artists in Florence, Plautilla Nelli (1524-1588) entered the convent in 1538 at the age of 14, becoming a Dominican nun at the now non-existent Santa Caterina da Siena convent on Via Larga (today Via Cavour). Within the convent walls, Nelli managed to conquer cultural spaces that were then forbidden to most women, thanks to her art. Heir to the school of San Marco and Fra’ Bartolomeo, she was also an entrepreneur avant la lettre, establishing her own workshop within the convent, which involved her fellow sisters in the creation of artworks. Thrice prioress of the convent and in relationships with noble and bourgeois Florentine families, she created an art workshop On the occasion of the five hundredth anniversary of the birth of Plautilla Nelli, the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute pays homage to the Florentine artist through a diagnostic study and restoration project dedicated to her and with a thematic area set up in her honor within the exhibition “Nutrire il Futuro – Nurturing the Future” (May 11, 2024), at the Sala Brunelleschi of the Istituto degli Innocenti. composed of her fellow sisters, even being mentioned by Vasari in his “Lives”. Plautilla Nelli painted “so many pictures for the homes of Florentine gentlemen that it would be too long to talk about them all.”
An extremely important statement that inspired the research of the artist’s works by Jane Adams, co-founder of Caravaggio & Company and project supervisor of this restoration initiative for the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute. In her words: “To sum up Nelli and her great achievements as a female artist I would like to quote Jane Fortune, whose mission and love for Nelli I share – ‘Once you get involved with Nelli, once she gets in your soul, she’s with you everyday.”
Carla Guarducci, the president and CEO of the Institute commented on the project with the following words: “I am pleased to promote an initiative that enhances the activity of the Renaissance painter, Plautilla Nelli. Little known to most, she is an artist who is important to remember. Having entered the convent at a very young age, she managed to create through art and the sharing of artistic knowledge a creative and therefore, in a sense, free space, in a world where this freedom was denied to most women.”
Rediscovering Plautilla – A Multidisciplinary Journey: As part of the series of initiatives promoted in honor of the 500th anniversary of Plautilla’s birth by the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute, students from the Historical Painting course (ancient and traditional painting techniques), from the Etching course (etching techniques), and students from the advanced Jewelry Design course were inspired by the work and life of this artist to create a series of works dedicated to her, and are on display today.
Thanks to / Grazie a
RESTORATION PROJECT
Coordinator: Professor Roberta Lapucci
Project Supervisor: Jane Adams
Advanced Restoration Students: Aashika Jain, William Johnson, and Rylie Severino
The project is carried out in collaboration with Dr. Catherine Turrill-Lupi, Prof. Emeritus, California State University; Trisha Dalke, University of Amsterdam.
INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECT
Printmaking Project: Coordinated by Professor Lucy Jochamowitz
Artworks by Etching Students: Amanda Nessel; Analucia Paez Munoz; Charlotte Allsbrook; Evelyn Benitez Suarez; Girjia Jhalani; Katherine Holland; Linn Roos; Nisa Acan
Historical Painting Project:Coordinated by Professor Gregory Burney
Artworks by Historical Painting Students: Analucia Paez Munoz; Audrey Price; Conor Glesner; Emma Oeberg;
Hailey Clements; Juliana Kish; Kathryn Mcanulty; Kayla Parsons; Marlee Lord; Mauryne Audige; Sofia Piliero; Sophia Quinn; Hannah Wogalter ; Alexandra Coscioni; Grace Handy
Jewelry Design Project: Coordinated by Professors Yoko Shimizu and Francesco Coda
Jewelry Students:Charlotte Allsbrook; Madeline Ambrosino; Lily Baxter; Joel Georgii; Maya Jacobs; Thu Luu; Eden MacMillan; Laura Valades; Paola Valdez;
During the months of the exhibition, to celebrate the ‘Florentine genius’ and female creativity as you have never seen it before, the Hotel Savoy in Florence created a tour, in collaboration with Artemisia Gold, a non-profit foundation profit dedicated to the research, restoration and exhibition of women’s works of art.
On a journey through the ancient streets of Florence, we discover the stories of extraordinary women who contributed to the art and culture of this Renaissance city. Often in the shadow of their male counterparts, these women have left an indelible mark on the Florentine artistic landscape, the brilliance of which only emerges upon careful exploration. A tour dedicated to them, their hidden works and their fascinating lives, reveals the richness and diversity of female voices in the art of Florence.
Available upon reservation. Request information at enquiries.savoy@roccofortehotels.com
On International Women’s Day, the Istituto Lorenzo de’ Medici was pleased to promote a project that brought new attention to the painter Plautilla Nelli. Within the walls of the convent of Santa Caterina da Siena in Florence, Nelli worked to create her art in new cultural spaces, conquering realms of freedom denied to most women.
A disciple of the artistic traditions of San Marco and painter Fra’ Bartolomeo (1472 –1517), Plautilla Nelli was also a pioneering entrepreneur. She established her own workshop within the convent, involving her fellow sisters in creating works of art.
Serving as the Prioress of the convent three times, she established an art workshop with her fellow sisters, earning mention by Giorgio Vasari in his ‘Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors and Architects.’ (Second edition 1568).
According to Vasari, Plautilla Nelli, who many noble families appreciated, painted ”so many artworks for the houses of Florentine gentlemen that it would be too lengthy to discuss them all.”
In Jane Adams’ words, summing up Nelli and her remarkable achievements as a female artist: ‘To quote Jane Fortune, whose mission and love for Nelli I share, “once you get involved with Nelli, once she enters your soul, she’s with you every day.’”
This restoration initiative by the Istituto Lorenzo de’ Medici paid tribute to the Florentine Renaissance painter Plautilla Nelli,” stated Alessia Bettini, deputy mayor and cultural affairs councilor of the Municipality of Florence. “It contributes to rectifying artistic justice for an extraordinary figure on the occasion of the quincentenary of her birth, preserving the artistic heritage that binds us to the past and inspiring future generations. It is also a new opportunity to deepen our understanding of the contribution of women in Renaissance art.”
“I am pleased to inaugurate a project that values the activity of the Renaissance painter Plautilla Nelli,” comments Carla Guarducci, President and CEO of the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute. “Little known to many, she is an artist who is important to remember, especially on Women’s Rights Day. Despite entering the convent at a young age, she was able to create, through art and the sharing of artistic knowledge, a creative and, in a sense, liberated space in a world where such freedom was denied to women.”
The project aimed not only to restore Plautilla Nelli’s artwork but also to shed light on her contributions as a female artist during the Renaissance, providing a platform for a more profound understanding of the role of women in art history and to preserve cultural heritage and promote by acknowledging the achievements of women in the arts.
Coinciding with the 500th anniversary of Plautilla Nelli’s birth, Florence’s first recognized female Renaissance artist (1524-1588) the following restoration was conducted on this large altarpiece, the ‘Madonna of the Rosary’. Restoration of the painting was carried out by renowned ‘Nelli’ conservator Rossella Lari in collaboration with Anna Floridia, for the Superintendency of Florence. Historians Catherine Turrill Lupi and Fausta Navarro made an important contribution with their research and increased new findings on the recently discovered Nelli paintings.
Project began: March 2024
Completion and presentation of restoration and publication: December 2024
The restoration of the painting was carried out by Rossella Lari, the living hand of Nelli in her studio in Florence. Roberto Buda restored the damaged panels and treated the wood, the frame was restored by William Johnson, a collaboration that worked together to restore this beautiful painting and enhance the body of Nelli works nationally and internationally with various events planned throughout 2024. The painting owned by the commune of Montaione was a project dear to the heart of Artemisia Gold, the Mayor of Montaione, Paolo Pomponi, as well as the whole Community of Montaione. There were several events surrounding this initiative, including conferences, exhibitions, and gala events in Montaione, Florence, Italy, London, England, and the USA.
Overall view of the painting prior to conservation, showing surface grime, oxidized varnish, structural deformations of the panel, and extensive chromatic alteration that obscured the original palette and spatial depth.
Detail X-ray image revealing pentimenti, alterations in figure placement, and the stratigraphy of the paint layers.
Ultraviolet fluorescence imaging highlighting aged varnish layers, retouchings, and areas of previous restoration.
Diagnostic imaging used to assess surface condition and paint distribution.
Structural conservation of the wooden support, including stabilization of joins and corrective interventions to ensure long-term preservation.
The unveiling ceremony celebrating the completion of the restoration project and the renewed visibility of Plautilla Nelli’s work.
Presentation and discussion by conservators, scholars, and local representatives during the official unveiling of the restored work.
The restored altarpiece displayed in its original devotional setting in Montaione, re-integrated into the architectural and liturgical context for which it was created.
Explore the diagnostic studies on Artemisia Gentileschi’s masterpieces, the Madonna and Child, and Saint Cecilia at the Galleria Spada in Rome. Caravaggio&Contemporary Ltd’s sponsored technical research project has led to significant findings, paving the way for a published monographic volume. The volume, published by De Luca in Italian and English, features essays by Francesco Solinas, Adriana Capriotti, Marco Cardinali, and Maria Beatrice De Ruggieri. This publication offers insight into Artemisia Gentileschi’s artistry, particularly her works in the Galleria Spada, drawing on new information from technical-scientific research. Don’t miss this opportunity to delve into the artist’s compositional processes with a rich set of images and technical data.
Official presentation of the restoration project on a newly found painting by Plautilla Nelli and her workshop. With: Alessia Bettini, Vice Mayor of Florence; Dr. Roberta Lapucci, director of the Restoration Department of Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute; Dr. Catherine Turrill, art historian, and renowned Nelli expert; and Jane Adams, from Caravaggio & Contemporary.
Listen now on Speaking of Travel®
Jane explains how meeting Jane Fortune and Advancing Women Artists led to one of the most recent examples of lost art and also one of the most impressive. Sister Plautilla Nelli’s (1524-1588) The Last Supper is the only known depiction of Christ’s last meal by a female artist in the pre-modern age.
The self-taught artist’s massive canvas—about 21 feet long and 7 feet high—is one of the largest works by a woman artist of the pre-modern era in the entire world. Though women were banned from studying anatomy, Nelli defied the conventions of the time by taking on a theme reserved for male artists and creating 13 life-size male figures.
There are still so many questions and Jane helps clarify why some of these works were never considered masterpieces. A movement is happening now around Italy’s women’s art restoration and Jane will bring you into a history that is not just restoring the works of art, but also restoring women’s place in art history. Over the past 10 years, over 70 works of art are now restored.
When you think about it, art has always been used as a means of storytelling and has vastly enriched our lives. The world needs women to inspire us, to raise our spirits, and to serve as role models for our future generation of girls.
Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.
Coinciding with the 500th anniversary of Suor Plautilla Nelli’s birth, Florence’s first recognized female Renaissance artist (1524-1588), the following restoration was planned on a small panel painting of the ‘Madonna and Child with Saint Catherine, Sant’Agnese and Saint Dominique’. Research and restoration by ‘Advanced Restoration’ students under the direction of head professor Dr. Roberta Lapucci of the Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute of Florence, and the ‘technical art’ scientific and chemical study campaign with the collaboration of Trisha Dalke (ex-LDM student in Art Conservation) (taking her master’s degree in Technical Art at the University of Amsterdam). Other LdM departments, such as Gender Studies, Jewelry Design, Fine Art, Graphics, and Communication, also participated in this project. Leading Nelli scholar Dr. Catherine Turrill Lupi made an important contribution with her research, uncovering new findings on the small panel’s paintings by Plautilla Nelli and her ‘Bottega’ that are coming to light.
Start: January 2024
Completion and presentation of restoration and publication: June 2024
The restoration was carried out at the Lorenzo de’Medici Institute in Florence, to communicate and enhance the body of Nelli works nationally and internationally with various events taking place in 2024, namely: conferences, exhibitions, and gala events in San Marco, and Palazzo Vecchio in Italy, Utrecht, the Netherlands, Milan, Italy, London England, Dublin, Ireland and the USA.
The painting before conservation treatment, showing oxidised varnish, surface grime, and chromatic alteration that obscure the original palette and compositional clarity.
The reverse of the wooden panel, documenting the construction of the support, natural wood grain, and evidence of age, wear, and past handling.
The reverse of the painting during restoration, showing the panel secured within its frame and allowing assessment of structural condition and previous mounting solutions.
Detail captured during the cleaning phase, illustrating the gradual removal of aged varnish and surface deposits to reveal the original paint layer beneath.
Close-up during cleaning, highlighting the emergence of original pigments, refined modelling, and subtle chromatic transitions characteristic of Nelli’s hand.
Detail documenting the contrast between cleaned and uncleaned areas, demonstrating the impact of varnish removal on depth, luminosity, and surface articulation.
Microscopic view during treatment, revealing fine craquelure, brushwork, and the preserved integrity of the original paint layer.
Infrared reflectography revealing underdrawing and preparatory elements beneath the painted surface, offering insight into the artist’s compositional planning and execution.
X-radiographic image exposing the internal structure of the panel, variations in paint density, and alterations not visible in reflected light.
Infrared false-colour imaging used to distinguish original pigments from later retouching and restorations, aiding in the identification of material differences and alterations across the painted surface.
Diagnostic campaign with the Publication of one of Artemisia’s best-loved works, her ‘Madonna and Child’ and ‘Santa Cecilia’ paintings at the Galleria Spada Rome.
A project to discover the secrets of these famous and much-loved paintings, and for the English translations and publication of this new volume. This project, curated by Artemisia Gold CIC and Emmebi Diagnostica Artistica, focused on the execution of a diagnostic research campaign to document the technique, materials used, and its state of conservation. The interest in the figure of Artemisia Gentileschi has grown significantly in recent decades, as evidenced by the numerous exhibitions dedicated to her and the ever-increasing number of technical studies that help us understand how she painted and, ultimately, why her style is so unique. The investigation proposed in this project was non-invasive, using different visible and non-visible radiation (ultraviolet, infrared, X-rays), which were able to provide images and data on the different constituent layers, from the support to the pictorial and finishing layers. Upon completion of the documentation campaign, we conducted a micro-sample to analytically investigate the preparatory layers and the more significant pictorial layers. Thanks to the goodwill of the Galleria Spada these investigations were conducted within the gallery, and the results were illustrated to special guests in May 2023 during an exclusive private event at the Museum. The investigations were sponsored by Artemisia Gold CIC and were carried out and illustrated by Emmebi Diagnostica Artistica.
The project included: Diagnostic investigations (including organization of live investigations) – Multispectral photographs (VIS-UV-IR) – Macrophotographs and microphotographs – Infrared reflectography – Radiography – X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF – Stratigraphy on polished section and SEM-EDS microanalysis and concluded with a private event at the Galleria Spada.
Carried out in 2024 – A publication with new findings. The Madonna and Child and Saint Cecilia by Artemisia Gentileschi at the Galleria Spada. These important findings, recently acquired on Artemisia Gentileschi’s Madonna and Child (Galleria Spada, Rome), thanks to the technical research project sponsored by Artemisia Gold CIC have provided the impetus to produce a monographic volume on the great painter’s two paintings, preserved in the Museum. Both the Madonna and Child and Saint Cecilia were subjected to an in-depth diagnostic campaign, curated by Emmebi Diagnostica Artistica s.r.l., aimed at characterizing their constituent materials and reconstructing the artist’s compositional processes. The volume was published in 2024 in Italian and English by the publisher De Luca. Included were essays by Francesco Solinas, Adriana Capriotti, Marco Cardinali, and Maria Beatrice De Ruggieri, which shed new light on the great artist and on her two works in the Galleria Spada. These new findings were also thanks to the contributions of technical-scientific research to historical-critical studies. A rich set of images and technical data accompanied the publication of the studies.
The publication was launched in May 2024
A private presentation and viewing of the two Artemisia paintings, her ‘Madonna and Child’ and ‘Santa Cecilia playing the Lute’ together with the unveiling of new groundbreaking findings and the publication surrounding them was held at a private event at the Galleria Spada.
In situ documentation of the diagnostic campaign at the Spada Gallery, showing the painting during technical examination with specialized imaging equipment.
The painting in visible light prior to treatment, documenting the overall condition, surface wear, and tonal imbalance that affect the legibility of the composition.
Reflectographic imaging highlighting variations in surface texture and underlying preparatory layers, contributing to the study of the artist’s working process.
Reflectographic analysis revealing compositional development and changes beneath the painted surface, offering insight into the evolution of the image.
X-radiographic detail focusing on the figures’ interaction, exposing structural elements, paint density variations, and adjustments invisible to the naked eye.
Full X-radiographic image of the painting, revealing the internal structure of the canvas, the stratigraphy of paint layers, and evidence of revisions in the composition.
Near-infrared imaging used to examine underdrawing and early compositional planning, aiding in the distinction between original execution and later interventions.