02/10/2001
by Andrew Moore

The US postal service decided that their Christmas stamp in 1994 would use the image of The Virgin and Child (Courtesy of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington D.C.) by the 17^th century Bolognese female artist, Elisabetta Sirani (1638-1665). The choice of the painting was a clear indication of how her sensuous characterisation of female figures and sentimental depictions of children appeal to the general public. Now US buyers have the opportunity to purchase a Sirani original at a low to mid price, when Christie’s, Old Master sale in New York offers Omnia vincit Amor, an oil on canvas measuring 83.7 x 68.6 cm, with an estimate of $ 15,000-20,000 (€ 16,450-21,930) on the 3rd of October, 2001. The painting ("Love Conquers All") was included in the artist’s own inventory of 1662, published in Carlo Cesare Malvasia's Felsina pittrice; vite de pittori bolognesi of 1678 (Malvasia being a leading 17^th century Bolognese law professor and a literary figure).

Further proof of the populist appeal which Sirani currently holds can be seen by the number of web-sites which focus on Sirani and other female Italian artists of the 17^th century such as Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653) and Lavinia Fontana (1552-1614). Sirani’s appeal no doubt also stems from her young death, at the age of 27. Contemporary diarists write that during her autopsy there were found to be a number of stomach ulcers, but the trial for murder from poisoning by her housemaid, gives Sirani something of the heroine status. Stories attest to Sirani's rapid working methods with the completion of approximately 170 paintings and 14 etchings. However this rhetorical flippancy no doubt stems from her strong stylistic associations with Luca Giordano (1634-1705) also referred to as "fa presto". Being a native of Bologna she came under the sphere of influence of Guido Reni, the master of her father Giovanni Andrea Sirani (1610-1670), who acted as principal assistant.

What marks her work out are her depictions of starry-eyed children, as shown by the US postage stamp Virgin and Child and the Christie’s Omnia vincit Amor. Prior to the example for sale in October, three examples of this type of subject were seen at auction in the last decade. A poor quality St Agnes with an Angel sold within estimate at Bonhams, London in July 2001 for $ 3,830 (€ 4,210) and a Madonna and Child with Saint John made $ 13,230 (€ 14,530) at Dorotheum, Vienna in October 1999. A much better example of such "sweet" subject matter was shown with St John the Baptist, an oil on canvas measuring 83.7 x 68.6 cm which was sold for $ 43,125 (€ 47,290) against an estimate of $ 25,000-35,000 (€ 27,410-38,380) at Sotheby’s, New York in February 1993. Despite this big increase the same painting was seen at the same US location back in June 1990 with an estimate of $ 80,000-120,000 (€ 87,830-131,590). On that occasion it was unsold: but this may be more due to the estimate being far to high on that occasion, rather than the market for Sirani being unprofitable. If anything, the likelihood is that the Sirani market will grow further, as long as the work in question is a well executed oil on canvas with preferably a cherub or baby Jesus. A note of caution however. An unframed oil on canvas by Sirani of a craggy old woman was sold at Dorotheum, Vienna in 1992 for $ 7,300 (€ 8,000) after having been offered the previous year at the same auction house with an estimate of $ 9,300-10,600 (€ 10,200-11,620). The subject was poor despite it being by Sirani.

As is the norm with Old Master paintings the identity of the artist can often be a mystery. Lots offered at sale are typically unsigned and in the case of Sirani in Bologna, share close stylistic comparisons with many contemporaries, who were either assisting Guido Reni, or heavily influenced by him. Such an example was seen at Sotheby’s, Milan in June 2001 when Sirani’s Dido abandoned by Enea was offered with a pre-sale estimate of $ 22,000-30,870 (€ 24,120-33,850). The auction house enjoyed a stunning and somewhat surprising hammer price of $ 95,870 (€ 105,130) for the painting, considering that it was not in fantastic condition, with a large amount of yellow staining covering the 87.5 x 67 cm of canvas area. However after the sale, the anonymous buyer claimed (and with good reason) that the work was by Francesco Giovanni Gessi (another Bolognese artist, 1588-1649), whose style is characterised by longitudinal female figures, and whose subject matters, whether they be weeping Madonna’s or penitent Magdalens, are very close to Sirani.

Borrowing the style of Reni and Barocci, Sirani was a master engraver, using a combination of light line and stippling to create delicately etched plates. Despite her prolificacy, prints by the artist are rare on the market, as her genre interior scenes were not copied due to her relative obscurity until she was re-discovered in the late 20^th century. Prices stay under $ 3,000 (€ 3,290) as shown by Holy family with saint Elizabeth and saint john the Baptist, an etching which was at Swann Galleries New York, selling in 1998 for $ 1,840 (€ 2,020), just over its top end estimate.