Introduction

Michaelina Wautier (c. 1614–1689) is an exceptional figure in the history of art. Her work was forgotten for centuries although the well-known Habsburg collector Archduke Leopold Wilhelm owned paintings by her. Today she is considered one of the most significant female artists of the Baroque, despite the fact that astonishingly little is known about her.

Wautier came from Mons in present-day Belgium and lived at a time of political upheaval and war. Female artists of the time faced special challenges: without the support of an artist in their family – a father or brother – their opportunities for training and access to art circles were extremely limited. In Michaelina Wautier’s case, her older brother Charles, also a painter, must have been crucial. She lived with him in Brussels near the royal court; the brother and sister probably also shared an atelier. She never married, and no personal letters or other documents from her are known to exist.

In this comprehensive exhibition of her work, we take a closer look at Wautier’s art, which reveals a personality that is strong and confident.