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Bachusstoet, Michaelina Wautier
Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Gemäldegalerie

Michaelina - Baroque's leading lady

MAS hosts Rubenshuis

For the first retrospective of the oeuvre of Michaelina Wautier (1604-1689), Rubenshuis and the MAS are joining forces. The exhibition - a world premiere  - demonstrates the exceptional talent of an artist who became great at a time when female artists were very rare. Her work is so multifaceted and unique that it defies all art historical imagination.

The MAS shows you the exceptional talent of an artist who became great in a period when female artists were very rare.

Glass ceilings are of all times: creating a furor as a female artist in the 17th century was an almost impossible task. Although Michaelina's extraordinary talent meant that she was not inferior to her male contemporaries, her oeuvre has fallen into oblivion. About thirty works by her are currently known. They bear witness to a challenging theme and a superior pictorial technique. 

Not only are female artists extremely rare in the 17th century, Michaelina has talent and swagger to spare. She is distinguished from her female colleagues by the versatility of the genres she focuses on. For example, in addition to portraits and genre pieces, she also ventured into large-format history paintings, a challenge that even many male painters did not rise to.

Practical

  • Michaelina - Baroque's leading lady, 1 June - 2 September 2018

See also

Restaurateur speaking

Interview with Pierre-Yves Kairis

Pierre-Yves Kairis (b. 1958) is a doctor of art history at the Université de Liège. He was closely involved in the restoration of “The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine,” a painting by Michaelina Wautier. 

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