Galizia, Fede (1578-1630) - A Glass Compote with Peaches, Jasmine Flowers, Quinces and a Grasshopper (Christie's New York, 2006)

Oil on panel; 30.5 x 42.5 cm.

Fede Galizia (1578–1630) was an Italian Renaissance painter, a pioneer of the still life genre.

Fede Gallizi, better known as Galizia, was born in Milan in 1578. Her father, Nunzio Galizia, also a painter of miniatures, had moved to Milan from Trento. Fede (whose name means "faith") learned to paint from him. By the age of twelve, she was sufficiently accomplished as an artist to be mentioned by Gian Paolo Lomazzo, a painter and art theorist friend of her father, who wrote, "[T]his girl dedicates herself to imitate our most extraordinary art."[1]

Fede Galizia painted portraits, miniatures and altarpieces, but the most important part of her oeuvre, for which she earned her place in art history, are her still lifes. However, her paintings were not given the recognition they deserved until well into the 20th century, when special attention was given to her work in studies made in 1963 and 1989.[2]

Galizia shows a style related to the Lombard mannerism of the late 16th century, centered in Mantua, but known internationally, especially in France. Galizia’s still lifes are among the earliest examples of painting in a new genre in which women, partly because they were excluded from other kinds of painting, would excel.

Galizia’s still lifes differ from her father's works in their greater detail and more vibrant colors. Most of these works featured fruit centerpieces in simple, frontal arrangements. They were often composed of a basket or bowl filled with a single type of fruit, such as peaches or pears, with a few fruit, sometimes sliced, scattered at the base of the bowl. Many of her still lifes had fresh flowers or other fruits set on the counter to provide a noticeable contrast and scale as seen in her work titled, Still-life with Peaches and a Porcelain and a Bowl. Galizia's work displayed influences from such works as Caravaggio's Basket of Fruit. Associating with the more restrained style of the Counter Reformation period, she did not explore the more lavish compositions and forms taken up by many of her contemporaries working in this genre; she preferred instead to use a stricter, more simplistic style like that seen in Francisco de Zurbarán's slightly later still life paintings.

Galizia’s paintings were deft with detail, perfectly balanced, and her attention to shadow, light, and texture was unrivaled at the time. She was particularly good at creating inviting space in her paintings. Her compositions are not crowded. They look as if one could reach out and touch the fruit, grasp it, and pull it from the painting without disturbing the rest of the work. Her graceful, flowing arrangements were natural and poetic, unlike their predecessors.

Galizia's aesthetic treatment of still lifes would not be seen again until the middle of the century. The modern direction taken in still life painting was shaped entirely by her works. Many of the still life paintings we see today draw their influence from her original ideas. Currently, it is unknown just how many paintings Galizia was responsible for. Many works that could have possibly been hers have been attributed to her male counterpart Panfilo Nuvolone, who drew significant inspiration from Galizia.[2] She may have inspired the Bergamese Francesco Codino and the Baroque still life painter Giovanna Garzoni.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fede_Galizia

Taken on: March 1, 2006

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Sets appears in: • The Million Dollar Club • ITALIAN ART BEFORE 1800 more » • Still-Life • Female Artists and Sculptors • 17th Century « less

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