#art, Women Artists in Art History: Plautilla Nelli

(«Dolorosa»/public domain)

Plautilla Nelli was a Dominican nun and a self-taught artist, possibly the first woman artist of Florence. She entered the convent at the age of 14 and immediately began teaching herself how to draw and paint. She was greatly influenced by the Dominican preacher Savonarola who encouraged women to paint, thus the convent becoming a huge art studio for many of the sisters.

Sister Plautilla had success selling her paintings, which she did in large scale as well as in miniature. She had many buyers, including women. She also served as professor to other nuns and many of the sisters of the convent of Saint Catherine of Sienna became her students and disciples. 

Her style was devotional and religious in nature, classic and mannerist as dictated by Savonarola. She inherited the drawings/sketches of Fray Bartolomeo and she was one of the few women included in Vasari’s «Life of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects».

Nelli is an important…woman…artist in Art History and should be studied. I would urge you to look further into the life and the work of this extraordinary woman. Sister Plautilla was born and died in Florence, (1524-1588).

(«Lamentation»/Public Domain/commons.wikimedia.org)
(«St. Dominic Receiving the Rosary»/Advancing Women Artists Foundation/Public Domain/commons.wikimedia.org)
(«St. Catherine Receiving Stigmas»/Advancing Women Artists Foundation/Public Domain/commons.wikimedia.org)

CHEERS

9 Comentarios

  1. Avatar de equipsblog equipsblog dice:

    Another interesting female artist. They do run the spectrum of style and influence. Thanks for doing this, Francisco.

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    1. Thank you Pat. Yes, there are many, many in art history. It is important that they are being brought forth now so we can all learn from them and also learn more of art history, which I feel, like other histories, must be re-written with more objectivity and truth. All the best!

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    1. Thank you Satyam!

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  2. Avatar de christinenovalarue christinenovalarue dice:

    🤍

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  3. Avatar de ourcrossings ourcrossings dice:

    It’s amazing to think that she was a self-taught nun-artist.

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    1. She had the opportunity to learn through the work of other artists in the convent as art, devotional art, was greatly appreciated and as well a source of income. I don’t believe anyone is really «self-taught» as one learns from sources already there, nowadays through videos, books, other artists etcetera… But she was an amazing artist and the things she accomplished have made history in art. Thank you Aiva and all the best.

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