In a museum’s storage room in Oslo, an art historian and curator, Cynthia Osiecki, made an intriguing discovery in 2022. While searching for a Clara Peeters painting to acquire, Osiecki stumbled upon an unattributed still-life artwork that caught her attention. Speculating that it might be a lost piece by Peeters, the renowned 17th-century Flemish Baroque artist, she was amazed by the possibility of having a genuine Peeters painting within the museum’s collection without even realizing it.
Despite Clara Peeters’ significant contributions to art history, she remains relatively obscure, much like many female artists of her time. To shed light on historic female artists, the National Museum of Norway is preparing to showcase an exhibition called “Woman Painter” starting on Oct. 8. The exhibition will feature works by 19 female artists from northern Europe and Italy between 1550 and 1650, including notable names like Judith Leyster, Lavinia Fontana, Artemisia Gentileschi, and Clara Peeters.
The artwork that Osiecki unearthed, named “Still Life with Small Game and Grapes on a Gilded Tazza,” was previously believed to be created by Ambrosius Brueghel before being labeled as anonymous and stored away. After a meticulous process spanning several years, Osiecki succeeded in officially attributing the painting to Clara Peeters. Known for her skill in embedding self-portraits into objects in her paintings, Peeters’ distinctive style was evident in the Oslo painting, featuring dead birds, hazelnuts, apricots, and the signature tazza vessel.
Despite challenges like woodworm damage obscuring Peeters’ signature, Osiecki’s thorough investigation, including comparative analysis and restoration efforts, confirmed the painting’s true origin. The artwork is now slated to be a highlight of the upcoming exhibition at the National Museum of Norway. Nora Ceciliedatter, the museum’s director of collections and exhibitions, emphasized the importance of bringing visibility to historically marginalized artistic perspectives through initiatives like the “Woman Painter” exhibition.
Osiecki’s journey to attribute the painting to Clara Peeters underscores the ongoing need to uncover and recognize overlooked female artists. By dedicating time and effort to researching and reclaiming the legacies of women artists, there is a growing opportunity to unearth more hidden treasures in the art world.
