Fede Galiza was born in 1578 in Milan Italy. She was the daughter of an established painter, Annunzio Galiza. Annunzio was a miniature painter and was thought to have taught her how to paint. Fede is regarded as one of the earliest still-life painters in Italy (Encyclopedia, 2021).

She received early recognition for her talents at the age of 12. By the time she was a teenager, she had gained international acknowledgment as a portraitist. Her medium for most of her work is oil. One of her works as a portraitist is the double portrait of Jacopo Menochio and Margherita Candiani (image 3). Although she was well known while she was alive, her work was “hidden” as male artists were dominating the art scene. There has been a lot of research into authenticating her paintings and very few are actually attributed to her (London Art Week, n.d). The images that I have compiled are authenticated works of hers.

In her work, she was known for her extensive attention to detail, her handling of lighting and composition. She was able to create intimate still-life scenes that draw the eye into her artwork. This is why I choose to look into her work. Specifically, Cherries in a Silver Compote (Image 4) was a work that drew me to her. I love her handling of the medium, it looks as if the cherries are real and the composition with the varying elements draws your eye around the piece. It invites you to look at it, and the detail allows you to notice something new every time. It almost creates an atmosphere of looking at something you shouldn’t be.

Works cited:

Images collected from:

http://art-now-and-then.blogspot.com/2017/05/fede-galizia.html

https://www.sothebys.com/en/artists/fede-galizia

” Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. . Encyclopedia.com. 22 Sep. 2021 .” Encyclopedia.com, Encyclopedia.com, 17 Oct. 2021, https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/galizia-fede-1578-1630.

“Lavinia Fontana and Fede Galizia.” Lavinia Fontana and Fede Galizia – London Art Week, https://londonartweek.co.uk/fontanaandgalizia/.