A 1616 commission from the chemist Giovanni Vorvino in Rome marked the start of the career of Giovanna Garzoni. Born in Ascoli Piceno in 1600, she evolved from painting religious and allegorical subjects to achieving fame as a botanical illustrator. Her practice centered on precision and the inventive arrangement of exotic objects, including porcelain, seashells, and botanical specimens.
Artistic Formation and Early Commissions
Garzoni was born to Giacomo Garzoni and Isabetta Gaia. While her family history remains disputed, she is linked to a lineage of goldsmiths and painters. She likely began as an apprentice to her uncle before 1615. In 1620, she produced a Saint Andrew for the Ospedale degli Incurabili in Venice. Following this period, she studied calligraphy under Giacomo Rogni, resulting in a volume of cursive characters titled Libro de'caratteri Cancellereschi Corsivi.
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The artist maintained a mobile career, moving between Italian and European cities with her brother, Mattio. In 1630, she arrived in Naples to work for the Duke of Alcalá. By 1632, she moved to Turin to serve as a miniaturist for Christina of France, a position she held for five years. She subsequently resided in Paris between 1640 and 1642. Throughout her life, she performed extensive work for the Medici family, specifically Grand Duke Ferdinando II, Grand Duchess Victoria, and Cardinal Giovan Carlo.
Style and Notable Works
Garzoni gained recognition for her tempera and watercolour works. She produced a portrait miniature of the Ethiopian traveller Zaga Christ in 1635, which is considered the first known portrait of a Black person in this medium. Her oeuvre includes Plate with White Beans and a series of still-life miniatures created between 1650 and 1662. Her self-portrait as Apollo reflects her interest in the work of contemporaries such as Artemisia Gentileschi.
Legacy and Final Years
Upon settling in Rome in 1651, Garzoni became involved with the Accademia di San Luca. In 1666, she drafted a will bequeathing her estate to the Church of Santa Martina, a venue affiliated with the Accademia. She died in February 1670 at age 70. Although she was buried at the Church of Santi Luca e Martina, her tomb was not interred there until 1698.
Fast facts
- Born: 1600, Ascoli Piceno
- Died: February 1670, Rome
- Educated: Accademia di San Luca
- Worked in: Italy, France
- Burial site: Santi Luca e Martina
- Primary medium: Tempera and watercolour
Questions readers ask
Did Giovanna Garzoni marry?
While it is largely believed she remained single, some historians suggest she married the Venetian painter Tiberio Tinelli in 1622, with a potential separation occurring in 1624.
Where are her botanical studies located today?
Her works are held in various collections, including Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, DC, the Accademia di San Luca in Rome, and the Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay Collection.
