Estratio da PER LARTE DA VENEZIA ALLEUROPA STUDI IN ONORE DI GIUSEPPE MARIA PILO acura di Mario Piantoni — Laura De Rossi EDIZIONI DELLA LAGUNAADELINA MopesTI 399 “THE MAKING OF A CULTURAL HEROINE: ELISABETTA SIRANI ‘PITTRICE CELLEBRISSIMA’ DI BOLOGNA (1638-1665)" Elisabetta Sirani may not be as well - known today as Italy's ‘other’ famous Seicento female painter, Artemisia Gentileschi, yet she remains Bologna’s most celebrated woman artist, with an intemnational reputation, represented in major European collections in her own life time, and het work is now found in private and public collections throughout the world. Elisabetta’s pa- trons included a middle class of merchants, doctors and ‘speziali’, bankers and cardinals, the ‘nost important patrician, clerical and senatorial families of Bologna, as well as nobility, aristoc- tacy and royalty throughout Italy and Europe’, Marcello Oretti, an C18th chronicler, cites Elis- abetta as one of the most sought after artists of the Bolognese School amongst Settecento col- lectors’, a view confirmed by archival sources which I have examined, such as Legal Invento- ries, in which she is often the only artis identified and her work described, and which reveal the value of her works to be above the norm‘, Elisabetta played a crucial role in the development of the Bolognese School of painting in the mid Seicento, being a prime exponent and disseminator of the refined, elegant classical maniera of Guido Reni, Bologna’s leading Baroque painter. She received her artistic training from her father Giovanni Andrea Sirani, Reni’s most trusted assistant, yet developed her own distinctive maniera, As a professional painter and printmaker, a master of her own workshop by the age of 19 (1657), full Professore of the painter's Accademia di San Luca, Rome’, and the frst woman attist to establish an Academy of Disegno for female students, Elisabetta’s prime signif icance lies in the professionalisation of women’s attstic practice, developing a method of pro- fessional training for women outside the traditional male mentor model (whereby women artists learnt the trade of their craft via male colleagues: fathers, husbands, brothers), and hence in creating avenues for women’s cultural production and female to female transmission of knowledge, as an educator and role model for the next generation of professional women artists, [tis with Elisabetta Sirani and her female academy that the transmission of Bologna’s cultural heritage mediated through and by women is, I would argue, formally institutionalised. Conte Cesare Malvasia, the Bolognese Vasari and her biographer, promoter and protector, referred to Elisabetta in his Felsina Pittrie (1678) as *Pittrice Eroina” and “Pittrice famosissi- ma”, the embodiment of Bologne’s artistic achievements: a national symbol of La Pitcura Bolognese, My current research has focused on an examination of the material conditions of Blisabetta’s artistic practice, her cultural formation and education, and the rhetorical and iconographic representation of her as both a woman and an artist, in order to deconstruct why she came to be so glorified and identified as Bologna's cultural heroine. I would like here to out- line what I consider to be the main factors: 1) Elisabetta was extremely talented, highly productive and in strong demand, popular amongst patrons, collectors and critics alike’, her paintings being described as “veramente sceltissime”’. Furthermore, she was well - connected: Senator Saul Guidotti was her bap- tismal godfather, Malvasia an intimate family friend, and the Marchese Ferdinando Cospi and Conte Annibale Ranuzzi, amongst her many daily visitors, all of whom proudly and ac- tively promoted the young piodigy. 2) She lived and worked (albeit briefly) right in the middle of the seicento, so that in terms of artistic development, Elisabetta is ¢ pivotal transitional figure, transmitting the popular ele- ‘gant Baroque Classicism of Guido Keni, dominant in the first half (d.1642), to the next gen-400 ADELINA MODESTT eration of artists. In fact, not only does Malvasia call her the “Secondo Guido”, his second volute of the Felsina is framed by the Lives of these two “great” Bolognese artists - Guido opens the volume, Elisabetta ends it, but is herself presented as a new beginning, In finish. ing with La Sirana and her scuole’s identification as “Felsina sempre Pittrice”, Elisabetta is positioned in Malvasi’s account of the cultural authority of the Bolognese School, not only as the natural heir and culmination of the artistic genealogy, both male and female, he has just outlined, but also as the springboard for the second half of the Seicento ~ it is through Flisabetta, her pupils and her influence that La Pittura Bolognese will continue. 3) Elisabetta is one of the frst professional female artists acknowledged by contemporaries and ctitics as the creative equal of men: to be compared with the achievements of male artists and to be herself considered a “maestra perfetia” and to possess individual “genius”, Padre Bonaventura Bisi, for example, introducing the 19 yeat old Elisabetta to the Medici Court in 1658 claimed that she «dipinge da homo con molta prontezza ed invenziones", a claim reit. erated by her staunch advocate Malvasia as well as the French artist Coypel: Elisabetta worked «ia un modo che ebbe del virile e del grande>, and was considered to be more tal. ented than any other artist since Guido Reni, Elisabetta renowned artistic vireuosity, her masterly and confident command of the brush («eccellenza del pennello») and apparent ease of execution (feciliza), expressed by an elegant sprezzatura, her velocita? and prontezaa, led the Florentine artist Il Volterrano (Baldassare Franceschini), patron and agent Marchese Ferdinando Cospi, and eulogist Luigi Picinardi to declare Elisabetta to be the best brush, male ot female, then practising not only in Bologna but all of Europe". This association with masculine aesthetic categories was further evidenced in Elisabetta tak- ing the mele position of professional artist and running her own workshop, which included a number of pupils and apprentices «che mai seguono lesempio di questa tanto degna pit- trico>*, and for whom Elisabetra provided the “pensieri” and “disegni” from which they worked, Elisabetta in establishing her own Academy of Disegno for Women (referred to ag «la sua Scuola” by Marchese Cospi”), thus takes on the role of “maestro”, aiding her pupils in their own professional development, as Malvasia cevealed for Ginevra Cantofoll, who “dalla Sirani sostenuta ed aiutata, avea fatto maggior progresso, se non altro, in artischiatsi 4 passare da piccioli quadretti ad opere grandiose», 4) Not only an attistically talented “Virtuosa”” and herself teacher, Elisabetta was also a fe- male “meraviglia’: well educated and intelligent. Picinardi was to claim that Elisabetta “fuse dotato” with evivacita d’ingegno (...) eccellenza di memotia (..) finezza di giudicio (..) (e) perfetta norizie delle scienze ch'ella esercitava»™, Well versed in attisic theory, not only 2 professional painter and printmaker, and possibly a sculptor, Elisabetta was also renowned as a musician (she played the harp) and poet, and her wisdom and learning were praised by many, often being referred to as that “Saggia Donzella’: “la dotta” Elisabetta Sirani™ Elise betta’s own education was quite well - rounded: not only traditional “noble” women’s hia ‘manist accomplishments in letters and the ats, as expounded by Castiglione in I! Cortegiano (1516, Book 10, she also studied classes and philosophy under the renowned university professor Dottor Alloisi Magni, who was also her brother Antonio Maria's tutor and whose portrait Elisabetta painted on more than one occasion for the Medici court”, Correspon. dence between her patrons Conte Annibale Ranuzzi, Marchese Ferdinando Coxpi (Ranuzzi’s fatherin-law) and Leopold de’ Medici, for whom they acted as artistic agents fre bis growing collection of Italian drawings, refer to her study of “Il Pensiero” (philosophy), her “sapere”, “virti” and above all “intelligenza”, that rendered Elisabetta “stimate da ing’ Cospi, for example, described Elisabetta as “La Sirana pittrce, opai tenuta in concertsELISABETTA STRANI 401, i della miglior maniera ¢ sapere di nessuna altra donna ch’abbia dipinto”®. The Sicani Library, ‘aherited in 1672 lasgely by her youngest sister Anna Maria after their father’s death, con- firms the erudite philosophical and theoretical artistic and cultural formation of the young Elisabetta’ classical humanist education, Nearly all the art treatises and theoretical texts are included, as well as literary works on the classical gods and myths, and classical historical texts and moral treatises”, all providing the young artist with a rich source of iconographic and literary sources for her many paintings. As such Flisaberta is the female equivalent of Leonardo's Renaissance Universal Man, a living example of Castiglione’s “new renaissance woman” and of Bologna’s tradition of celebrated learned women, who had studied and taught at the city’s university since the C13th - women philosophers, writers, poets, scien- tists, lawyers, anatomists etc, The eldest and most probably the first university to admit women, Bologna prided itself on its progressive stance towards women in public life, where- by, in addition to the teaditional.cloistes, culture and learning was transmitted in a public sphere by female academics. Bolognese women, including female artists”, thus formed part of the city’s cultural elite, what Bonfait calls the “borghesia intelletuale “, as seen in the hu- manist Self - Portraits of Elisabetta’s cinquecento predecessor, Lavinia Fontana (Uffizi, Flo- rence; Accademia $ Luca Rome). Furthermore, the city of Bologna, originslly named Felsina and allegorically represented as a Minerva like patroness of institutions of learning and the arts, was identified with the university Alma Mater Studorium, and veferzed to in maternal terms: Bononia Docet Mater Studorium®. Considered a caring mother of its learned children both male and female”, Bologna’s most gifted daughter was Elisabetta Sirani”. In both Malvasia and Picinardi, Elis- abertais positioned as the pinnacle of Bolognese artistic and intellectual achievements, join- ing female academics and public lecturers”, as well as St Catterina Vigri (patron saint of Bologna’s painters’ guild and academy), the C16th sculptor Properzia de’ Rossi and manner- ist painter Lavinia Fontana, in a rich genealogy of Bolognese woman intellectuals and artists. 5) She was considered beautiful and vietuous ~ this is important in re ~ affirming existing ide- logics of femininity. Elisabetta’ attested beauty, piety and virta" did not pose a threat to pe- triarchal societal norms, just as her representations do not seem at frst glance to offer a self = conscious challenge to the male symbolic order, a factor which undoubtedly contributed greatly to her immense popularity and critical sucess; her prime subject matter being the Madonna and Child and the Holy Family, with the theme of the maternal reinforced throughout her large oeuvre of almost 200 works, including allegorical subject matter such 2s Portrait of Anna Maria Ramuczi as Carita (signed and dated 1665, Collection Cassa di Risparmio di Bologna), and the recently rediscovered Allegory of Justice (signed and dated 1664, Collezione GMB, Modena) Elisabetta completed for Leopold de’ Medici”. Note, however that Elisabetta was also drawn to depictions of famous historical women, the “female hero”, woman represented as potent agents of self - determinacy, wisdom and knowledge such as the Sibyls (Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna) and the femmes fortes: Ju- dith Triumphant (Burghley House, Stamford), Iole (Cassa di Risparmio di Bologna), Portia (Herbert F Johnson Museum, NY), and Timoclea (Museo di Capidimonte, Naples) ~ all signed and dated. I do not have the space to elaborate here, but suffice to say that Flisabet- tas powers of invention invenzione, referred to in contemporary sources, is apparent in her novel thematic and iconogsaphical interpretations of both established and original themes. By focusing on the moment of female courage and determined action, such as in Portia or Timoclea precipita nel pozzo il capitano di Alessandro Magno”, Elisabetta presents the viewer ‘with images of heroic women who, taking the law into their own hands, accept responsibil- ity for therselves and literally take action against tyranay and injustice, whether physical or402 ADELINA MODESTI social, Traditional iconography of female submission and passivity is thus transformed into images of female defiance, power and political action, I would argue therefore against the traditional att historical interpretation of Elisabetta Sirani as a conservative actst. 6) She died young and in tragic circumstances, believed poisoned by her maidservant Lucia Tollomelli, at the age of 27, thus easily transformed into myth, as we see in the public teac- tion to her death, “Dolorosa nuovo porto a V.\.S.”, wrote one of Elisabetta’s honoured pa- trons Marchese Ferdinando Cospi to Leopold de’ Medici on August 29 1665, the day she died, «la Sirana Pittrice & morta, piange tutta la Citta essendo mancata una Virtuosa»”. The “Pitrice famosissima” was given a publicly - staged civic funeral in San Domenico, with full honours and obsequies, numerous poetic epitaphs by Bologna’s most illustrious citizens, and an ekphratic panegyric by Professore Luigi Picinardi entitled “Il Pennello Lagrimato”, in which he calls Elisabetta «questa eroing, il prodige d’arte la gemma d'Italia, il sole d’Eu. rope...cla glotia del sesso feminile»*, The music for the occasion was composed by Fabrizio Cactati, and in the centre of the nave was erected an elaborate catafalque of faux marble, de- signed by family friend and artist Matteo Borboni, containing a life - size effigy of the artist at work, with appropriate iconographical symbols of her talent, fame, beauty, learning, virtue and chastity: marian iconography such as the unicorn and lily, sun’s rays, and roses are transformed into symbolic images of a virtuous life prematurely spent (three truncated rose bushes; ally lying amongst grass cut by a sickle; a fruit laden tree cut down by an axe et<.)”, Thus in a single icon, the city of Bologna could bring together a number of ropical and cir culating discourses: artistic theoretical issues re the nobility of the artist and the excellence of painting, in particular the place of La Scuola Bolognese within this discourse, as seen in Malva- sia’s desire to construct a specific Bolognese artistic identity and legitimate its cultural authori- 'y, in challenge to the hegemony of the ‘Tuscan - Roman model celebrated by Vasari; Renais- sance ideologies of ideal womanhood and patriarchal constructions of femininity, which are at she same time both reaffirmed ard contested; and nationalistic civic pride in Bologna’s long es- tablished tradition of learned women. Elisabetta, as a professional artist, a woman and an edu- cator, could represent the epitome of al these traditions, and is thus immediately resurrected on her premature death as a specifically female Bolognese cultural identity, a gendered historical subject that was to have potency for the next 200 years, with her achievements mythologised and presented as the” natural” product of her native city: the university town of “Bononia Mater Studorium?: Che la citta di Bologna sia mai sempre stata, e sia madre e produttrice di ingegni cospicui ed illutri ta to del maschile, quando del femineo sesso, in ogni genere di scienza ed arte (..) oggi pure viventi fra quali nell'eta corrente a guisa di sole, le vir della Signora Elisabetta Sirani,risplendente agli occhi universal appativa (..) ha ella accresciuto non picciol raggio di gloria a questa sua patria con Peccellenza del suo peanello, il che stato riconosciuto(..) con pubblico encomio ed universale applauso di ammirazione (Gd (C.C. Malvasiay", (655: figg. 241 \ For titical evaluation of Elissheua’s works see A. Madesti,Elitbeita Sinan, in Dictionary of Wonton Artists, edited by D. Gaze, 2 vols, Fizroy Dearborn, London and Chicago, 1997, vol 2, pp. 1272-1275; A. Modest, Elisabetta Sian Ptrce [Enoina': A Portrait of the Arts asa Young Woman, in Identtaed Appartenenaa: Donne e relazoni di genere dal monde cas. sico allt contemporane, Fest International Congress ofthe Italian Socery of Women Historians, Rimini, June 1995, Eu. rocopy, Bologna 1997, pp- 745-768; F Frison, Le Vera iran, in “Paragone” 335, 1978, pp. 3-18, & Fesool, Bsabers Sir sani. in La Sola dé Guido Reni. edited by E. Negro and M. Pennant, Medons 1992, pp 343.364. * See Blisabett's own Inventory “Notes” where che describes her commissions year by yet from 1655 to 1665, frstELISABETTA SIRANI 403 published in Bologna by C. C. Malvsia in 1678 in his Felsina Pitrice Vite de’ Pitor Bolognesi have used the 1841 Zan: ‘ont edition ofthis important primary source. The Note delle Picture Fatte da me Elitabetia Stans found in Vol I, pp 393 400. > MM. Oreti Le Pitre che si ammsinano nelli Palani, e Case de’ Nobili det Citi di Bologna, Biblioteca Comunale PAcchiginnasio di Bologna (BCAB), 1760/87, ms B 109, £22 “For example, sce ‘Inventacio Legale dll beat rtvovainllherediti de Sige Andrea Alibani fatto da stanza della Sign Helena Scarfaali ua moglie et herede. 4 Oct 1666" (aoteio Lorenzo Pellegrini, ASBO Fondo Notarle}, cited in Modest, Bologna 1997, pp. 750 > M, Misssini, Memtote per seriall Storia della romana Accademia di San Luca, Rome 1825, in hs list of Professor, includes 40 women artists over the yeas, including Hlsabetta Sirani and Lavina Fontane. See also the Ci8th document from the Accademia di San Luca ,"Nomi delle SS Pittrice accademiche”, which includes HlisabestaSicani amongst othes professional women ares (F.Trinchied Cama, "Virgo - non steriis..”: Nang as Artists in Seventeenth» Century Rome, in Picturing Women in Renaitsonce and Baroque Ialy, eds G. J. Johnson and S. F Matthews Grieco, Cambridge, 1997, p 283,0.91) * Soe his Vite di Gio Andrea Siani ed Elsabeita Sua Figlivola in *Malvsia™ 1, pp. 385-407 * aL signora Elisabetta er pittsic et eta stimata valent nel suo mestiere»: A. M. Donnini, iran’ household midser- want, Letina in 26 Jue 1666, et Elsebeta’s murder ail, in A. Manacesy It Procsso di avvelonamento fatto 1665-66 tn Bologna contro Lsicie Talomelli per la morte di Elisabetta Span, Bologna 1904, p.53 * Onet, Notice dei Professor, BCAB, 1760/87, Ms B129, £68. °C.C, Malvasa, Ip. 407 » See the correspondence in the Archivio di Stato di Firenze berween Marchese Cospi, Conte Annibale Ranuzzi and LLeopoll de’ Medici cegacding the young prodigy, specially the nwo letters dated 19 August 1662, and 21 August 1663 ct ced by E. Goldberg, Puitrs x Late Medic Patronage, Princeton 1983, Ch.2, nn. 19 & 28 " Leter dated 2 January 1659, in Goldberg, 1983, 43,n 22 =. C. Malvasa, IL, pp. 386 & 401; Coypels comments are elated in C. C, Malvasia, Vita dei pittri bologes, appt ‘inedi, edited by A, Aefeli, Bologna 1961, p. 93 (hereafter Malvasia- Arf). Cf Marchese Cospi's reference to Elisaber- {working method as possessing a" gusto grande” (Lette no, 252: Caspito Leopold de’Medic, Bol 15 Aug 1664. Archiv- ji Stao di Firenze (ASF) Medkceo del Principaco (MDP), Cart 5532, fiz 35) > Picinardi If Pennelo Lagrimato, in “Malvasia", I, p. 389. Cle Malvasia who recounts how Elisabetta would impress visting dignitasies by ekerching (bozzare”) for them a head ors figare under an hour, such as the Madonna she produced {for Monsignor Albergeti(*Malvasia" lp. 401). "Sze letters from Marchese Ferdinand Cospi to Leopoldo de’ Medic, dared 19 August 1662 (in Goldberg, Ch.2,n. 19), and 5 Janoary 1664 (ASF, Carteggio Degli Artisti, XVI carta 378). Cf, Picnard in "Malvasia”, I, 3866. C.C. Malvasia, Ip. 407. A great number of professional women arsts trained at Blisabesta’s Scuola, including her two younger sisters Barbara Sian Bosgognoli and Anna Maria Sirani Rghi, aswell as Ginewra Cantofoli, Lucia Scafagia, the printmaker Veronica Fontana, and noblewomen Caterina Pepoli anc Maria Elena Panzacchi, ro name but a few of her "sweaty recorded pupils. Irshould slo be noted that Eisebetta hid male apprestices, including Don Pietro Macchiaveli de seribed as “scolare pree della Eisabetta", Giosffo Maria Bergarai, Bartolomeo Musoti, Battolomeo Zannichelli (who painted her port and copied many of hee works), Giovan Batista Zeni, Lorenzo Loli (who also painted her portrait) and Marco Bandinell, See also Oreti MsB129, Notiie degli Professor, Par VII (f.118-130) under entry *Discepali di Elis betta iran” "As was the case with Ginevra Cantofoli's ltarpiece for the church ofS, Procolo,« Lat Supper, based on a *bellssi- mo e grazioso.disegno ad aquarelle” by he "maestra", Malvasia~Arfelli, 1961, p. 127 " ASE, MDP, Fiza 35, leer from Cospi to Leopold de’Medici, Bologna 27 Jan 1663. °C. C, Malvasia, I, p. 407 For che concept of the Renaissance Virtuos, see FH. Jacobs, Defining the Renaissance Viruosa: Wonten Artists and the Language of Art History ond Critime, Cambridge Uni Pres 1997 ™ Picinardi in “Malvasa”, I, p. 389. >See pocims repeated in “Malesia, Il pp. 396 & 401; and Sonnet written by Gaspare Bombacce to Malvasia in praise lof the Medonna and CBild painted by Elisabetta for Cosimo Ill (Lettre Diverse, Letter N° 5, dated? January 1663. BCAB, MsB 133) 2 ASF MDP, £5532 Carteggio di Cardinal Leopoldo de’ Medici, laa 35, 1660-1669: Leer N® 247: Marchese Ferd nando Cospi to Principe Leopald de’ Medic, dated 4 March 1664 Bologna, in which he refers to Elisabetta es "scolaze del Dattor Magno”. A print in the BCAB, Fondo Gezzadini, depicts the portrac of young Alois, with inscription indicating it derives fom a poreut by Elisabetta Sirani presented to Leopold de? Medici; anda double poxrat by Elisabetta: “tat ti vir Aloisio Magni con Antonio Maria Siani" was sent to Leopold de’ Medici by her father Giowanni Andrea Sitani in 1664 (ASF. Cartegeio d'Aristi, IX, 15: Letera di Giovanni Andees Sirani a Leopoldo de’ Medici, carta 225.4 marzo 1664). CE Goldberg, 1983, p. 2661.29.404 ADELINA MODESTT » ASE MDP, 3532, Flea 35: Letter N*327 dated 29/8/1665, Ferdinando Caspi, vo Principe Leopoldo re death of Els sett; ASF MDP, £5532 lan 35: Leter N° 280, Coopi to Leopold, Bologna 19 Aug 1664; ASF, Cartcagio &’Artsti, XVI: Later di Ferdinando Cospi a Leopoldo de'Mecici carta 378.5 Jan 1664 > And not interestingly enough, by her brother the Doctor of Philosophy Antonio Mati, according to Giovanni An ‘ea’ Testament and Legal Inventories, and lso the Marriage Dote of Anna Maria to Giovan Battste Righi (ASBO, Fon- ‘do Netazle Rog Mirandola 7 Feb 1689, Prot D Doc 318). The iran Library contents ae listed in the “Inventario dala ro- ‘ba che toca in parte sue dele Sigra Anna Maia Sian" found in Giovanni Andrea's Assegnazione a Margherita della Mano (ASBO, Rog Batista Buldini Pot CC 19 Feb 1672) 8 Vasari, Ridol, Rips, Ovie, Boccaccio, Carta, Pliny, Plutarch, and Riec. See now’ Sabbatini, Per wa storia delle donne pric botoges: Anna Mara Sivan « Gineora Cancfli, a "Sched Umanstiche” 2, 1995, pp. 87-10, for fll de tals ofthe ens lise See W. Chadwick, Women, Art ond Society, 2nd edition, London 1996, Ch. 3 Foc Bolognas female artists and lerred women see the following sources: Malvasia 1678; L. Cresp, Vite de Ptort Bolognesi, Rome 1769, es the third volume of Malvasia; Ore, Notizie de' Profesior: del Disegno, Bologna 1760-1780 (sB151 BCAB); Macchiavelli, Delle Donne Bolognesi per Letteraiurs eDisegno last, Bologna C18th (Ms B1331 BCABY; ars, Le Done laste d Bologra 1871 (Ms BG64 BCAD); L. Nasi Seadio sul vite Fopera di quatro atte bolognes, Bologna, nd; Carolina Bonafed, Cennt Biogroi e Rtratt dTnsign’ Donne Bolognese Racolti dah Stor put Aceredtat, Bologna 1845; G. Giordani, Nottie delle donne pitirc di Bologya, Almanacco staatico bolognese, Bologna 1852; and L. agg, The Women Arist of Bologr, London 1907 0, Bonfuit, I pubblico del Guercina, Ricerche sul merctodeltarte nel XVILseolo a Bologns, in *Stria dll Ae” 68, 1950, pp. 71-94. See now C. P. Murphy.‘ praise ofthe ladies of Bologna’: he image aed identity ofthe sttconth- century Bolognese female pirate, “Renaissance Seales” 13, No.t, December 1999 pp. 440.454, Sec fr exarape the Frontispiece "Bologna Docet” in Do's Conologa dell female mobil boloes, Bologna 1670. See the C17th print ofthe city of Bologna by Blac, *Picinae “Cita.coleognome di madre depl seul (in “Malvasia", Ip. 387) ™ Picinari Preface and funeral oration “Il Pennello Lagrimato” in “Malvaia", pp. 387-8 Picinardi claims that on |y Eisahetts could match and surpas the sapienza and glory of Bologna’ illustrious educators, the fame of whose doctrine tracted stidens from the mest remote provinces of Europe (Picard, in “Malvasa" TT, . 388). ™ Suc as Betina Calderni, Novella Calderni (1366), and Bensa Gawzadini (4 1261) See for example Picinerci in "Mavasie", Ip. 389 See Elisabetta’ “Nore, “Malvasa” Il, p. 399 for her entry oa this work; and p. 400 for her description ofthe Rana pri, For correspondeace regarding the Medici Allegry see ASF, Careegio @ Anis, XVL Lestere di Ferdinando Cospi Leopoldo de Medici, carte 378-380 verso; ASF MDP, #5532: eters of Ferdinand Cosp to Cardinal Leopoldo, esters # 247, 270,274,275, 280, 281, 284, 286, Both episodes are drawn from Pltarch’s Lives. Life of Alexander: Timocles, after having been raped by the Captain of Alexanders army, kes revenge by tossing him into a wel after tling him that all hr gold and jewellery are hidden there. The eradlsiondl iconography shows Timoclea with her children brought before Alexandet, who seeing « wornan of ‘moral integrity, grants her pardon, ln Life of Bras, Portia shows that she can withstand physical pain by stabbing her ‘high, thereby demonstrating to her husband Brot hee moral and political courage. Traditional representations of Portia depict hee commiting suicide by staffing hot coals down her threat. In both works Elisabetta has forgone tradition and chosen quite unigue feminist subject mater, giving u theft ft the cay version ofthese themes. ASE, MDP, (5532 Carteggo di Cardinal Leopoldo de’ Medic, lea 33 1660-1669. Letter 527 from Ferdinando Cospi, Bologna 29/8/1665 “Picinard’s oration was republished by Malvasi IL, pp. 386391; whilst collection of ll he panegytics delivered at [isbett’ funeral appeared as Le Poesia Mura celtrate delle pitrice lowact Applet di nil Ingegner al pinnello im. orale dela SignorinaElisabeta Sinan pttcebologneze, Bologna 1655. >*Malvasi”, I, pp 3926 ‘**Malvasia" Tp, 392. Furthermore, this need to establish both an attic and national ideniythrough eltaral ep resentations and lca heroes has to do withthe larger political discourse of Balogn’s dese to maintain a degree of auton ‘onry under Papal rule. Tam gratefel to Renate Ago for drawing my attention to this politcal dimension,ADELINA MODEST 65 1, Elisabetta Sinan, Gindivia ctionfante, oo su tel, firmato € 2, Elisabetta Sirani, Tinoclea precipita nel pozzo il apitano di detato 1638. Stamford, Burghley House Alessandro Mago, olf sw tela, firmato¢ datato 1659. Stamford, Burghley Houte 5. Blisabete Sian, ole, oo su tele firmeto e deata 1662. Bolo. 4. Elisabetta Siran, Madonna col Bambino a san Glovantino, 910, Cassa di Risparmio. clio su tla, fratoe datato 1664. Pesaro, Museo Civico.