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Exhibit honors women artists painted over by history

| 23 Feb 2016 | 05:10
    A self-portrait of Sofonisba Anguissola, whose work has been misattributed to Titian, da Vinci, and other men.
    A self-portrait of Sofonisba Anguissola, whose work has been misattributed to Titian, da Vinci, and other men.
    “The Happy Couple” by Judith Leyster. This painting was sold to the Louvre in 1893 as the work of Frans Hals.
    “The Happy Couple” by Judith Leyster. This painting was sold to the Louvre in 1893 as the work of Frans Hals.
    “Susanna and the Elders” by Artemisia Gentileschi was attributed until 1977 to her father, Orazio.
    “Susanna and the Elders” by Artemisia Gentileschi was attributed until 1977 to her father, Orazio.

SHOHOLA — When asked to think of an artist, many people first think of Michelangelo, DaVinci, or some other “Renaissance Man.” But, as the organizers of a new arts show note, many Renaissance Men were actually women.

A special exhibit for Women’s History Month at the Artists’ Market Community Center in Shohola will show how men often attached their names to artwork created by women in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Some had good motives, like the father who put his name on his daughter’s paintings so they’d reach a wider audience.

But other “Renaissance Men” were outright thieves. For example, the Louvre bought a “Frans Hal” painting in 1893, only to find out soon after that it was actually painted in 1620 by Dutch artist Judith Leyster. Thanks to modern technology, more and more female signatures and monograms that had been erased or painted over by respected male artists are being discovered.

The Barryville Area Arts Association and the Artists’ Market Community Center are sponsoring the exhibit, which will be up through March.

It includes the works of Renaissance and Baroque women artists as well as contemporary local female artists, including Linda Cobb, Rebecca Esposito, Laura Gagliardi, Mef Gannon, Alexis-Brianna Kramer, Stephanie McClure, Kate Rosalia Kozel, Joan Standora, Brianna Woods, and Elva Zingaro.

A free reception will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 5, at the Artists’ Market Community Center, 114 Richardson Ave., Shohola.

For more information call Nick Roes at 845-557-8713 or email barryvilleareaarts@gmail.com.