A Space of Their Own

Elisabetta Sirani

Selected Works

An image of Christ being baptized as an adult, with Saint John the Baptist standing alongside him as Jesus kneels on a rock by a body of water. A dove and an image of God appear above the two men, with God appearing from the clouds, surrounded by angels. The composition is filled with other figures, most of whom are not looking at the two central figures.

Baptism of Christ

1658
Elisabetta Sirani, Baptism of Christ, 1658. Oil on canvas, 430 x 350 cm. Chiesa di San Girolamo della Certosa, Bologna.
Chiesa di San Girolamo della Certosa, Bologna

A self-portrait of the artist, seated at an easel and holding a palette in one hand and a brush in the other. She is looking directly at the viewer, with her brush touching the canvas as though she is painting the viewer. She is wearing an elaborate costume made of lush blue, gold, and red fabric and she wears a laurel crown in her hair. On the table behind her there is an ink well with a quill, several books, and a sculptural model of a figure.

Self-Portrait

1658
Elisabetta Sirani, Self-Portrait, 1658. Oil on canvas. Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts.
Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts

A half-length image of the Virgin Mary, dressed in a cream and red dress, with a blue shawl around her shoulder. She holds the Infant Jesus in her lap, seated on a pink pillow. The Infant holds a crown of flowers in his right hand and lifts it up to place on her head. They look at each other with love and devotion.

Virgin and Child

1663
Elisabetta Sirani, Virgin and Child, 1663. Oil on canvas, 86.4 x 69.8 cm. National Museum of Women in the Arts.
National Museum of Women in the Arts

A nude Infant Saint John the Baptist fills the composition, sitting on a rock alongside a lamb. He holds a small dish that he is filling with water. He has large, expressive eyes and brown curls. He looks intently at the dish, seemingly unaware of the viewer. He rests one hand on the lamb’s head.

The Infant Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness

1664
Elisabetta Sirani, The Infant Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness, 1664. Oil on canvas, 75.5 x 62 cm. National Galleries of Scotland.
National Galleries of Scotland

A young woman is seated in an elaborate red and gold dress, embellished with jewels. Her dress is pulled up to expose her right leg and she holds up right hand up. She is stabbing her thigh with a small blade, leaving bleeding wounds on her leg. Through the doorway behind her, we can see three women in the next room having a conversation. They seem unaware of what is happening with the young women in the red and gold dress.

Portia Wounding her Thigh

1664
Elisabetta Sirani, Portia Wounding her Thigh, 1664. Oil on canvas, 101 x 138 cm. Collezioni d'Arte e di Storia della Fondazione della Cassa di Risparmio, Bologna.
Collezioni d'Arte e di Storia della Fondazione della Cassa di Risparmio, Bologna

An image of Christ with his wrists bound and crossed in front of him, wearing a crown of thorns. He holds a spear in one hand and looks off to the right with an anguished expression. He has a beard and brown curls that fall to his shoulder, with a faint halo behind his head. He wears a mauve, satin cloth draped around his otherwise nude body.

Ecce Homo

after 1660
Elisabetta Sirani, Ecce Homo, after 1660. Oil on canvas, 107 x 83.5 cm. Muzeum umění Olomouc, Czech Republic.
Muzeum umění Olomouc, Czech Republic

The main figure is a young woman, who sits with four other young women surrounding her. Another woman is kneeled in front of her, presenting a nude infant that is partially wrapped in a white cloth. The central figure points to the woman with her right hand. Alongside the infant, there is a tray with several flowers. Behind the woman holding the infant, there are two additional figures.

Finding of Moses

before 1665
Elisabetta Sirani, Finding of Moses, before 1665. Oil on canvas, 112.5 x 130 cm. Private collection.
Private Collection

A brown ink drawing on terracotta colored paper with white heightening, the image of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, who appears to be two years old. He stands on a rock to reach up to her, showing her something in his right hand. She embraces him with both arms and looks down at him with motherly love and devotion.

Virgin and Child

ca. 1653–56
Elisabetta Sirani, Virgin and Child, ca. 1653–56. Pencil drawing with red and brown wash, 32.2 x 25.8 cm. Teylers Museum, Haarlem.
Teylers Museum, Haarlem

A bust-length, printed image of the Virgin Mary. She is draped in a shawl and crosses her arms at the wrist across her chest. She looks down with her eyes closed, as though lost in thought or prayer. Behind her, the rough illusion of clouds fills the background.

The Virgin Mary

ca. 1655–1665
Elisabetta Sirani, The Virgin Mary, ca. 1655–1665. Etching and drypoint, 12.5 x 10.7 cm. Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Philadelphia Museum of Art

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