Art historian and curator Cynthia Osiecki made a significant discovery at an Oslo museum in 2022 when she came across an unidentified still-life painting. Osiecki, who had been researching the renowned 17th-century Flemish Baroque artist Clara Peeters, suspected that the painting might be a lost work by Peeters.
Osiecki expressed her astonishment at the possibility of having a Clara Peeters piece in the museum’s storage while actively seeking to acquire works by female artists. She highlighted the underappreciated status of Peeters and other female artists of her time.
The National Museum of Norway is shedding light on historic female artists with the upcoming exhibition “Woman Painter,” featuring works by 19 female artists from northern Europe and Italy, including Clara Peeters.
Uncovering the True Artist
The painting, originally thought to be by Ambrosius Brueghel and labeled as “anonymous,” was eventually attributed to Clara Peeters after meticulous research by Osiecki. She identified distinctive features in the painting that aligned with Peeters’ style, such as hidden self-portraits and specific objects commonly seen in her works.
Despite challenges like woodworm damage obscuring Peeters’ signature, Osiecki’s dedication and collaboration with colleagues led to the confirmation of Peeters as the true artist. The painting will now be showcased prominently at the upcoming exhibition.
Nora Ceciliedatter, director at the National Museum of Norway, emphasized the exhibition’s goal of highlighting underrepresented artistic perspectives, echoing Osiecki’s sentiments on the importance of recognizing and attributing works to female artists.
Osiecki emphasized the ongoing need to uncover and acknowledge overlooked female artists, noting the significance of research in revealing their contributions to the art world.