b'IhighlightPaintings by Guillebaud and Fontanainto a specific time and place of artistic p oduction,especially within the context of womens history. SCMA WAS PLEASED TO ACQUIRE A PAIR OFportraits by the Italian artist Lavinia Fontana, one of the most famous women artists of Renaissance Italy. Born in Bologna, she trained with her father, artist Prospero Fontana. Unlike Guillebaud, she was considered to be on a par with the male artists of her day. After achieving early success as a portraitist, Fontana catapulted to fame when Pope Paul V invited her to Rome in 1603. There, she enjoyed a productive career by painting for the pope and other illustrious patrons until her death.These small paintings were likely created as marriage portraits. The woman wears red, the traditional color for Bolognese brides, and she is bedecked in jewelry.THE DICTIONARY OF SWISS ARTISTS(1902)The man, almost a mirror image, wears complementary61characterized Amile-Ursule Guillebaud as sentimental.colors with a similarly upturned collar. The couple were She primarily painted portraits, but is also known to havelikely members of the noble class in Bologna. The slightly painted genre scenes and at least one history painting.larger dimensions of the male portrait, along with the Although Gillebauds work is not widely recognized, herraised decoration on the back of the panel, suggest that Portrait of the Artist, Seated at Her Easel was one of fiv the two images originally would have fit togethe. This paintings featured in the Female Triumphant: Women object was a locket or portrait capsule that belonged Artists of the Premodern Era sale at Sothebys in to one of the members of the couple, symbolizing their January 2019. SCMA is the first U.S. institution to housunion. Fontana moved beyond mere likeness to invest a work by Guillebaud, acquired thanks in large part toboth subjects with personality, their powerful gazes en-the generosity of Visiting Committee member Petergaging the viewer.Soriano and Nina Munk 88.Together, these paintings add a new dimension This painting is almost certainly a self-portrait.to SCMA as the first by each artist to enter the collectionWhat at first appears to be a rather simple artwork i Portraiture was traditionally relegated to women artists. more complex upon closer examination. The compo- In both cases, Guillebaud and Fontana exploit this genre sition is carefully constructed, with a strong vertical lineto display their skill and to charge their figu es with lifelike dividing the canvas in half. Guillebauds skillful brushworkpresence. These paintings, currently on view, sit comfort-articulates various textures and her use of light and colorably among the paintings by their contemporaries is extremely accomplished. Though much about the artistalmost all of them well-known male artists. remains largely unknown, Guillebauds painting offers a wonderful opportunity for new research and fresh insights above:Amile-Ursule Guillebaud. Swiss, 1800after 1880. Portrait of the Artist, Seated at Her Easel, ca. 18201845. Oil on canvas. Purchased with a gift from Nina Munk, class of 1988, and Peter Soriano, and the Museums Acquisitions Fund.opposite:Lavinia Fontana. Italian, 15521614. Portrait of a Woman, Portrait of a Man, ca. 15851599. Oil on panel. Purchased with the Dr. Robert A. and Minna Flynn Johnson, class of 1936, Acquisition Fund'