In a surprising turn of events, a painting by Clara Peeters was recently unearthed in a museum’s storage by art historian and curator Cynthia Osiecki. The discovery took place at an Oslo museum in 2022, where Osiecki stumbled upon an unattributed still-life painting. Osiecki, who had been researching the works of the renowned 17th-century Flemish Baroque artist, suspected that the painting might be a long-lost piece by Peeters.
The painting, titled “Still Life with Small Game and Grapes on a Gilded Tazza,” was initially believed to be created by Ambrosius Brueghel before being labeled as “anonymous” and placed in storage. After years of meticulous examination and analysis, Osiecki officially reattributed the artwork to Peeters earlier this year.
Peeters, a pioneer in still-life painting and a master of embedding subtle self-portraits in her works, remains relatively unknown to the general public. To shed light on historic female artists like Peeters, the National Museum of Norway is set to showcase an exhibition titled “Woman Painter,” featuring works by 19 female artists from northern Europe and Italy between 1550 and 1650.
The painstaking process of attributing the painting to Peeters involved Osiecki’s keen observation of distinctive details in the artwork, such as the portrayal of dead birds, hazelnuts, and apricots. Despite challenges like the absence of Peeters’ signature due to woodworm damage, Osiecki and her team meticulously compared the Oslo piece with other works by Peeters and her contemporaries to confirm the authorship.
The journey of the painting back to Peeters’ name underscores the ongoing efforts to recognize and celebrate female artists whose contributions have been overlooked or overshadowed. Osiecki emphasizes the importance of continued research into women artists to unearth more hidden gems and ensure their rightful place in art history.