Art historian and curator Cynthia Osiecki made a significant discovery when she encountered an unattributed still-life painting in a storage room at an Oslo museum in 2022. Osiecki, who had been exploring the works of Clara Peeters, a pioneering Flemish Baroque artist from the 17th century, suspected that the painting might be a lost creation by Peeters.
While the museum was actively seeking artworks by female artists like Peeters, the painting, titled Still Life with Small Game and Grapes on a Gilded Tazza, was overlooked and labeled as anonymous after initially being thought to be by Ambrosius Brueghel, a member of a renowned artistic family in Antwerp, Belgium.
Through meticulous examination and comparison with Peeters’ known works, Osiecki and her team confirmed the true artist behind the painting. Peeters’ unique style, which often included hidden self-portraits and distinctive elements like specific objects and composition choices, helped in the attribution process.
The painting, featuring dead birds, hazelnuts, apricots, and a reflective image in the grapes, will now be showcased at the National Museum of Norway’s Woman Painter exhibition, a dedicated effort to highlight female artists who worked in northern Europe and Italy between 1550 and 1650.
Osiecki emphasized the importance of continuing to research and recognize overlooked female artists to ensure their contributions are acknowledged and celebrated in the art world.