Diana Scultori Ghisi
Encyclopedia
Diana Scultori Ghisi was an Italian artist, also known under the name Diana Mantovana.
The Renaissance
is the first time period where women artists gained international reputations. Perhaps this growth of art among women was due to cultural shifts, such as a move towards humanism
, there were many published art and texts that illustrated this change. These texts also led to increased education among Italian women. Now women were permitted to study art. Many women of that time learned about art from family members, it was common for the daughters of artisans to be trained in the family craft. However it was considered uncommon for a daughter to be trained in engraving
and to make it a public career, as Diana Scultori Ghisi did.
Born in 1547, one of three daughters Diana Scultori Ghisi, was a well known engraver of the 16th century. Not only was she remembered for her magnificent engravings, she was also recorded as the first woman ever allowed to sell her work under her own name. Since Diana was a woman she was unable to have formal apprenticeship in drawing. She was taught private lessons by her father, Giovanni Battista Mantuano to draw and engrave. Diana also had the reputation of a keen business woman, after her marriage to Francesco de Volterra, an aspiring architect, the couple moved to Rome
to help set off his career
Rome is where Diana approached the papal court
with examples of engraved plates, requesting permission to sell her work under her own name. She was granted permission to sell her work under both the names Diana Mantuana and Diana Mantovana. She not only sold her work for her own benefit but also aided her husband gain work for his architectural commissions.
Diana was very well known for her being concerned with maintaining a good reputation. She was said to be very “charming” and “well-bred”. Diana was also family involved, aside from business, caring for her family was also one of her top priorities. Once Diana was married, her unmarried sister and widowed mother moved in with her and her husband.
Diana worked within the restrictions encountered by artists of her time, and earned the reputation as a talented and captivating artist. Other popular artists such as Lavinia Fontana
have also been known to use Diana’s prints as a structure for her painting. Diana herself also used other artist work as a foundation for her printings, but most of the drawings for Diana’s engravings came from either her husband, or a family member.
Diana’s father was an engraver for the Mantuan court, and Diana changed her name to be better associated with the court as her father was. She was known to have signed various signatures at different points in her lifetime. In most of her works she is referred to by the name of Diana Mantuana, or Diana Mantovana. It has not been recorded in any of her works that she went by, or signed the name Scultori. Diana was one of the few women artists that Vasari (Italian painter, and architect) mentioned in the 1568 edition of his Lives
.
It has been recorded that Diana has produced 62 prints during her lifetime. She was known do have had various styles throughout her works, which varied in success. Nonetheless she was well regarded by other artists (Scultori [Mantovano]). One of her most famous engravings was of an ionic volute abundantly decorated with a chain of elegantly acanthus
leaves and flowers, a similar but smaller version of some of the decorated “bead and reel” and “egg and dart” moldings that decorate the capital. Looking like it came right from a picture it differed from many of the other popular works of that time. Under the engraving was a dedication composed of several lines of Latin words dedicating the work to the students of architecture. Along with her different modes of signing Diana was also known for her long dedications on her works.
Her last dated print was in 1588 titled the Entombment after Paris Nogari
. After Francesco Da Volterra’s death, Diana re-married Giulio Pelosi, another architect. She remained in Rome until her death, April 5, 1612. Several of Diana’s prints continued being printed after her death.
.
The Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
is the first time period where women artists gained international reputations. Perhaps this growth of art among women was due to cultural shifts, such as a move towards humanism
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
, there were many published art and texts that illustrated this change. These texts also led to increased education among Italian women. Now women were permitted to study art. Many women of that time learned about art from family members, it was common for the daughters of artisans to be trained in the family craft. However it was considered uncommon for a daughter to be trained in engraving
Engraving
Engraving is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing...
and to make it a public career, as Diana Scultori Ghisi did.
Born in 1547, one of three daughters Diana Scultori Ghisi, was a well known engraver of the 16th century. Not only was she remembered for her magnificent engravings, she was also recorded as the first woman ever allowed to sell her work under her own name. Since Diana was a woman she was unable to have formal apprenticeship in drawing. She was taught private lessons by her father, Giovanni Battista Mantuano to draw and engrave. Diana also had the reputation of a keen business woman, after her marriage to Francesco de Volterra, an aspiring architect, the couple moved to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to help set off his career
Rome is where Diana approached the papal court
Papal court
The Papal Household or Pontifical Household , called until 1968 the Papal Court , consists of dignitaries who assist the Pope in carrying out particular ceremonies of either a religious or a civil character....
with examples of engraved plates, requesting permission to sell her work under her own name. She was granted permission to sell her work under both the names Diana Mantuana and Diana Mantovana. She not only sold her work for her own benefit but also aided her husband gain work for his architectural commissions.
Diana was very well known for her being concerned with maintaining a good reputation. She was said to be very “charming” and “well-bred”. Diana was also family involved, aside from business, caring for her family was also one of her top priorities. Once Diana was married, her unmarried sister and widowed mother moved in with her and her husband.
Diana worked within the restrictions encountered by artists of her time, and earned the reputation as a talented and captivating artist. Other popular artists such as Lavinia Fontana
Lavinia Fontana
Lavinia Fontana was an Italian painter.-Biography:Lavinia Fontana was born in Bologna, the daughter of the painter Prospero Fontana, who was a prominent painter of the School of Bologna at the time and served as her teacher...
have also been known to use Diana’s prints as a structure for her painting. Diana herself also used other artist work as a foundation for her printings, but most of the drawings for Diana’s engravings came from either her husband, or a family member.
Diana’s father was an engraver for the Mantuan court, and Diana changed her name to be better associated with the court as her father was. She was known to have signed various signatures at different points in her lifetime. In most of her works she is referred to by the name of Diana Mantuana, or Diana Mantovana. It has not been recorded in any of her works that she went by, or signed the name Scultori. Diana was one of the few women artists that Vasari (Italian painter, and architect) mentioned in the 1568 edition of his Lives
Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects
The Lives of the Most Excellent Italian Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, from Cimabue to Our Times, or Le Vite de' più eccellenti pittori, scultori, e architettori da Cimabue insino a' tempi nostri, as it was originally known in Italian, is a series of artist biographies written by 16th century...
.
It has been recorded that Diana has produced 62 prints during her lifetime. She was known do have had various styles throughout her works, which varied in success. Nonetheless she was well regarded by other artists (Scultori [Mantovano]). One of her most famous engravings was of an ionic volute abundantly decorated with a chain of elegantly acanthus
Acanthus (ornament)
The acanthus is one of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration.-Architecture:In architecture, an ornament is carved into stone or wood to resemble leaves from the Mediterranean species of the Acanthus genus of plants, which have deeply cut leaves with some similarity to...
leaves and flowers, a similar but smaller version of some of the decorated “bead and reel” and “egg and dart” moldings that decorate the capital. Looking like it came right from a picture it differed from many of the other popular works of that time. Under the engraving was a dedication composed of several lines of Latin words dedicating the work to the students of architecture. Along with her different modes of signing Diana was also known for her long dedications on her works.
Her last dated print was in 1588 titled the Entombment after Paris Nogari
Paris Nogari
Paris Nogari was an Italian painter of the Renaissance period, a minor pupil of Cesare Nebbia active mainly in Rome. He painted in the library of the Vatican in a style resembling Raffaellino da Reggio and was among the painters who frescoed Santa Susanna.-References:...
. After Francesco Da Volterra’s death, Diana re-married Giulio Pelosi, another architect. She remained in Rome until her death, April 5, 1612. Several of Diana’s prints continued being printed after her death.
Further reading
- Museums S.Francisco
- Austin , Jamie . "Italian Art: Women Artist Part II." lifeinitaly.om. lifeinitaly.com. 10 Feb 2008
- "Library and Research Center." Clara Database of Women artists. 22 Feburaury 2007. National museum of Women in the Arts. 10 Feb 2008
- Lincoln, Evelyn. "Making A Good Impression: Diana Mantuana." JSTOR. 1997. Renaissance Society of America. 13 Feb 2008
- "Mantuana [Ghisi; Mantovana; Scultori], Diana." Grove Art Online. 20 October 2006. Grove Art Online. 19 Feb 2008
- "Scultori [Mantovano]." Grove Art Online. 31 March 2000. Grove Art Online. 19 Feb 2008