Fontana, Lavinia (1552–1614)

Italian artist. Name variations: Lavinia Fontana Zappi; Lavinia Fontana de Zappis. Born Lavinia Fontana, Aug 1552, in Bologna, Italy; died in Rome, Italy, Aug 11, 1614; dau. of Prospero Fontana (painter) and Antonia De Bonardis (who came from a printer's family in Parma); m. Giovan Paolo Zappi, 1577; children: Emilia (b. 1578); Orazio (b. 1578); Orazio (b. 1579); Laura (b. 1581); Flaminio (b. 1583); Orazio (b. 1585); Severo (b. 1587); Laodamia or Laudomia (1588–1605); Prospero (b. 1589); Severo (b. 1592); Costanza (b. 1595).

Bolognese painter, mainly of portraits and holy scenes, preferred small formats, representing holy scenes for domestic and private piety, at beginning of career; in following 2 decades, cultivated her real talent, portraiture; had several public commissions; painted the 1.5 meters by 2.5 Assumption of the Virgin with Saints Peter Crisologus and Cassian for the Municipal Council in Imola (1584); painted a Holy Family with the Sleeping Child and Young St. John the Baptist for the Escorial monastery (still on the main altar, 1589), considered one of her masterpieces; painted Birth of the Virgin (c. 1590, Bologna, church of SS. Trinita), which is considered among her greatest paintings; moved with family to Rome (1603–04), the last step of her successful career; portrayed a number of important people, including Pope Paul V and the Persian ambassador (both portraits have been lost); also painted small paintings on mythological (rather rare in her work) or historical subjects, like the famous Cleopatra (VII) (Rome, Galleria Spada); painted 4 full-length saints (Cecilia, Agnes, Claire, and Catherine of Siena), in the church of Santa Maria della Pace (1611–14); other paintings include Self-Portrait in the Studio (1579), Portrait of the Gozzadini Family (1584), Portrait of Lady with Dog (c. 1584), Ritratto del frate Panigarola (1585), Portrait of a Noblewoman from the Ruini Family (1593), Judith and Holophern (1600), Conversation-piece (c. 1600), The Queen of Sabah Visiting King Solomon (c. 1600) and Dressing Minerva (1613).

See also Women in World History.