In a surprising turn of events, a painting by Clara Peeters was discovered in a storage room at an Oslo museum by art historian and curator Cynthia Osiecki. The painting, initially thought to be created by Ambrosius Brueghel, was reattributed to Peeters after years of meticulous research.
Osiecki, who had been studying Peeters’ work, stumbled upon the painting titled “Still Life with Small Game and Grapes on a Gilded Tazza” and suspected it could be a lost masterpiece by the 17th-century Flemish Baroque artist. The discovery was particularly significant as Peeters, despite her groundbreaking contributions, remains relatively unknown to the public.
The painting features elements characteristic of Peeters’ style, such as small self-portraits hidden in objects and the use of specific motifs like the tazza. Although the artwork showed signs of woodworm damage that obscured Peeters’ signature, Osiecki and her team conducted extensive research and comparison with other works to confirm Peeters as the true artist.
The National Museum of Norway is set to showcase the painting in an exhibition called “Woman Painter,” highlighting the works of historic female artists. According to Nora Ceciliedatter, the exhibition aims to shed light on artists whose careers have been overlooked or underrepresented in art history.
Osiecki emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to uncover and recognize female artists whose contributions have been undervalued. She believes that dedicating time to researching women artists will lead to the discovery of more hidden artworks, enriching the art world’s understanding and appreciation of their talent.