Properzia de’ Rossi

By: Nicole CarriganArt 1E: History of Women in Art

Michelle Panansky-BrockSierra College

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Learning Objectives:

Analyze why Properzia de’ Rossi was able to flourish and become famous in a male-dominated art industry.

Discuss some underline stories she had to tell through her work.

Discuss the artist’s life and how that affected her artwork.

Indentify her work and how it was made.

This is Properzia de’ Rossi’s most famous work where she shows a scene of Joseph leaving Potiphrr’s wife, which is why this is called “Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife” made in 1455 as panels. The stories tell of Potiphar’s wife being angry that Joseph did not fall for her seducing him and then says he tried to rape her and was put in prison for it. It was thought to have been also as an expression through Properzia de’ Rossi about her own stories of adulterous scenes.

This is the statue she made from marble called “ Hercule assommant une Amazone”. This statue is now located in the Palazzo Vecchio of Florence.

She gained fame after winning a competition to do a sculpture for the church of San Petronio in Bologna and was known for doing miniature carvings that was done one cherry pits or peach stones. She sometimes integrated these miniature art pieces into the jewelry she made.

This is one of the pieces she made, which contains carved peach and plum stones or pits. This is made of silver filigree and is a family crest for the Grassi Family. The family commissioned this crest. What brought her initial fame and artist’s recognition was the exquisite miniature carvings from the fruit pits.

This is a coin portrait done of Properzia de’Rossi, but of unknown artists. It is a bronze coin and it shows the importance of this woman artist among Italy to have her portrait displayed on a coin.

Here is another portrait of Properzia de’Rossi done in 1586 by an unknown artist. You can see how her image was portrayed. She was shown as a pious woman.

Properzia was trained by a master engraver named Marcantonio Raimondi, who is known for engraving Raphael’s work. This piece is an example of that. This is Raphael’s “Judgment of Paris” made from 1510-1520, but engraved by Raimondi. She learned from him and became the master sculptor and carver.

I wanted to include this image as well because of the copying done from another artist, Manet. This is the “Luncheon on the Grass” made in 1863. You can see how masters will copy other masters and therefore gain their own fame, as Properzia de’ Rossi did.

Last image of Properzia de’ Rossi, where she again looks very pious in nature in how she is depicted. She lived to be only 40 years old from 1490- 1530. The art she produced was in a male-dominant industry and she was able to flourish in it and claim recognition for her mastery. When she died, however, she was poor. Looking at her skilled sculptures, reliefs, and jewelry; a person would think she lived a good life and was well off. Unfortunately, not a great deal is known about this great woman artist, but her art still lives on and is now remembered.

Works Cited:

All images are provided by www.google.com

Art History. Revised 2nd Edition by Marilyn Stokstad 2005. pp. 980

Italian Women Artists from the Renaissance to Baroque

By Skira Editore 2007. pp. 90-95

Women Artists: An Illustrated History

4th Edition, by Naney G. Heller 2003. pp. 23-24

Italian Women Artists from the Renaissance to Baroque

By Skira Editore 2007. pp. 90-95