Fede Galizia

Background

Fede Galizia was born in Milan most likely sometime before 1578. Her father, Nunzio Galizia, a painter of miniatures, had moved to Milan from Trento.

Education

Fede learned to paint from her father.

Career

By the age of twelve, Fede was sufficiently accomplished as an artist to be mentioned by Gian Paolo Lomazzo, a painter and art theorist friend of her father. Although Galizia began her successful career by painting portraits, her body of work also included illustrations, landscapes, religious subjects, still-lifes, as well as several commissions for altarpieces in Milanese churches. Several of her paintings based on the deuterocanonical story of Judith and Holofernes, a popular theme in art of the period, survive in private collections. Perhaps her earliest was "Judith with the Head of Holofernes", painted in 1596 which is now in Sarasota Florida at the Ringling Museum of Art.

Galizia's artistic skills are evident in her portrait of Paolo Morigia, a Jesuit scholar, writer and historian, and one of her earliest patrons and supporters. Her 1596 "Portrait of Paolo Morigia" depicts the man writing a poem about the picture Galizia was painting. She attributed various portraits as well as paintings revolving around traditional subjects, such as a few “Judiths”, a “Christ Carrying the Cross”, and one “Doubting of Saint Thomas.” She lived a happy life and had a successful art career. In 1630 Fede died of the plague in Milan.

Achievements

• Fede Galizia was known for her miniature portraits, landscapes, and religious subjects.

Works

More photos

• painting

  • Judith with the Head of Holofernes

  • Maiolica Basket of Fruit

  • White Ceramic Bowl with Peaches and Red and Blue Plums

  • Portrait of a Physician

  • Portrait of a Man

  • Portrait of Paolo Morigia

  • Portrait of Federico Zuccari

  • Cherries in a Silver Compote

  • Portrait of Paolo Morigia (detail)

  • Still Life

  • Still Life

  • Still Life

Views

Fede Galizia adhered to the artistic traditions of Mannerism. Galizia’s portraits, especially her early works, display an adherence to truth that is analytic in nature.

Personality

Quotes from others about the person

• This girl dedicates herself to imitate our most extraordinary art.

Interests

• Artists

  Leonardo and Correggio

Connections

Fede Galizia never married.

Father:

Nunzio Galizia

References

• Fede Galizia (Archivi di arte antica) (Italian Edition)
  1989