Seeking Women’s Stories in the MFA’s Collections

Women in Renaissance Italy were artists, mothers, healers, nuns, lace makers, and so much more. This preview of Strong Women in Renaissance Italy looks at some of the objects on view in the exhibition—most of which come from the MFA’s collection—and considers the stories they tell about women’s creativity, power, and ingenuity. From a self-portrait by Sofonisba Anguissola and Renaissance interpretations of exemplary women like Cleopatra and Judith to works commissioned by or for women, these artworks offer a window into women’s experiences in Renaissance Italy, raising issues that resonate today.

Marietta Cambareri, senior curator of European Sculpture and Jetskalina H. Phillips Curator of Judaica, Art of Europe