Properzia de’Rossi: A “Life”

Properzia de’Rossi - Joseph and Potiphar's Wife - 1520s - Marble - Museo de San Petronio, Bologna (click photo for larger image)Properzia de’Rossi (ca. 1490-1530) was an Italian sculptor, and one of the few recorded women artists in the 16th century. She is the only woman to whom Giorgio Vasari ( 1511-1574) gives a "life" in his  Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, considered the ideological foundation of art historical writing. 

Her inclusion in that work indicates that she was an exceptional artist. Unfortunately, she died young and the only sure work in marble by her hand is a relief for the portal of the Cathedral of Bologna representing the Old Testament story of the Chastity of Joseph. This relief emphasizes the contrast between the voluptuous, eager wife of Potiphar and Joseph's determination to escape her and remain true to his beliefs. This marble relief was commissioned by the Fabbrica of San Petronio for the façade of San Petronio in Bologna.

According to Vasari, Properzia began her career by carving peach stones. One of them, which he described as engraved with the entire Passion, has been identified as forming part of a necklace (Pesaro, Palazzo Bonamini-Pepoli). An engraved cherry stone (Florence, Uffizi) has been attributed to her, as well as 11 carved peach stones set in a device of filigree silver (Bologna, Museo Civico).

To learn more about Properzia and other women artists, I recommend watching “The Story of Women and Art” hosted by Amanda Vickery. She’ll show you some of those peach stones Properzia carved!