Katlijne Van der Stighelen – författare

Active in Brussels in the middle of the 17th century, Michaelina Wautier is now regarded as one of the foremost female artists of her time, although for many years her work was misattributed to her male contemporaries. Continually pushing boundaries as a female artist, Wautier exhibited an in-depth knowledge of classical mythology and was one of the first female painters to depict the male nude. Her body of work includes huge altarpieces, charming genre scenes and extraordinary flower garlands, as well as portraits and history paintings.In this book, the first illustrated monograph on the artist, leading Wautier expert Katlijne Van der Stighelen highlights Wautier’s originality and the complexity of her oeuvre. Considering how Wautier navigated restricting gender norms to stake out a productive career as a painter, the author places her work in the context of other European artists, both female and male. Incorporating recently discovered biographical information, this volume offers a comprehensive and in-depth overview of Michaelina Wautier’s life and work.

"…it should be noted that the outstanding quality of Wautier's paintings is well served not only by the exhibition itself but also by the design of the catalogue, in particular the superb quality of its numerous colour illustrations and the many well-chosen details." — Burlington MagazineMichaelina Wautier (1604–1689) is a name unfamiliar even to connoisseurs of Old Master painting. This handsome book seeks to correct that, by exploring the surviving portraits, history paintings, genre scenes and still-lifes that can be identified as hers. Born at Mons, Wautier pursued a successful career in Brussels, which was then ruled by Archduke Leopold Wilhelm, Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands, whose collection ended up at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna. This handsome book, produced by the Kunsthistorisches Museum in collaboration with the Royal Academy, brings together all the latest scholarship on the artist, alongside several exciting new attributions.