Lot 2049 Nα

Ginevra Cantofoli was a talented artist from Bologna belonging to the closer circle of Elisabetta Sirani and the wider circle of Guido Reni. It is from him that she adopted the motif of the female half-length figure as a saint or allegory, one of Reni's most popular and influential inventions. This figure of “Temperanza” is also typologically similar to Reni's compositions. The facial features of the figures in many of Ginevra Cantofoli's works have been shown to be similar to her own, as proven by the existence of a self-portrait of the artist.
In his monograph on Cantofoli, Massimo Pulini assigns her an oeuvre of around 30 works. The present, previously unpublished canvas fits perfectly within these known examples, as shown by numerous comparable works. Riccardo Lattuada has written an extensive expertise on this painting which is currently being prepared for publication. In the work, the painter follows the description of “Temperanza” found in Cesare Ripa's “Iconologia”. Her attributes are the bridle and palm frond, whereby the latter can be interpreted as the reward of those who manage to control their passions.
Cantofoli was a member of the Bolognese Academy of female painters established by Elisabetta Sirani and was one of the most successful and influential female artists of the Italian Baroque. The recent interest in women artists has led to an increased appreciation for the previously neglected oeuvres of painters such as Artemisia Gentileschi, Lavinia Fontana, Fede Galizia and the Anguissola sisters. A work by Ginevra Cantofoli was sold at auction in New York in January of this year for over 130,000 US dollars, a record price for this artist.