While much is often said about male painters, this exhibition at the Valdštejn Riding School in Prague focuses on female artists! There was a time when women, despite their undeniable talent, ambition, and abilities, were unable to study, and art schools remained closed to them. The exhibition "Women, Masters, Artists 1300–1900" reveals the stories of those who found their way to art despite the obstacles, and who worked in Central Europe, the Netherlands, and Italy from the Middle Ages to the end of the 19th century. This is the first comprehensive exhibition of its kind in the Czech Republic, highlighting the often-overlooked contributions of women and offering a fresh perspective on the history of art. You can visit it until November 2nd.

The exhibition focuses not only on the artworks themselves but also on the era and environment in which they were created. It explores the social connections, institutional barriers, and themes that women addressed in their work, demonstrating that women have been a part of the history of art from the very beginning, and that their contributions simply need to be recognized and given their rightful place.

"Talent knows no gender," as the painter, playwright, and secretary of the Académie royale in Paris, Antoine Renou, noted as early as 1785, "but for centuries, women had no access to art schools, and, with few exceptions, could not lead painting workshops. In our country, for example, only widows of painters could become masters in a guild workshop," says Olga Kotková, the curator of the exhibition.

The exhibition is a response to the traditional exhibitions Old Masters I and Old Masters II at the National Gallery, which primarily feature male artists, particularly from what is now Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Central Europe. The architectural and graphic design of the exhibition also reflects this, with the floor plans of the Schwarzenberg and Sternberg Palaces symbolically "transferred" to the Valdštejn Riding School. Visitors also have the opportunity to compare the works of women with the works presented in other National Gallery Prague exhibitions: Medieval Art 1200–1550 at the Convent of St. Agnes of Bohemia and 1796–1918: The Art of a Long Century at the Trade Fair Palace.

"This exhibition brings stories that have long waited to be told. It gathers remarkable works and presents the lives of the people behind them, inviting us to view the history of art with fresh eyes," says Alicja Knastová, Director General of the National Gallery Prague, adding: "For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of this project was simply the joy of viewing our collection from a new perspective and discovering how, in combination with examples from other European museums, it creates a completely new story."

The exhibition traces the evolution of female artistic expression across centuries—from the spiritual imagery of medieval nuns, who, despite their deep piety, also had erotic and maternal desires, to the stories of painters from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, who were often victims of violence and intrigue, and who coped with the cruelty they experienced through their artistic creations, to the confident style of academic painters of the 19th century.

The exhibition features approximately 150 works from the fields of painting, drawing, graphics, sculpture, and applied arts. In addition to iconic works of European painting, which have been loaned from museums, galleries, and private collections throughout Europe, visitors have the opportunity to admire works from the NGP collection displayed in new contexts. Among the featured artists are prominent figures such as **Artemisia Gentileschi**, who confronted personal trauma in her work and became the first woman admitted to the Florentine Academy of Art; **Sofonisba Anguissola**, who painted portraits of her sisters playing chess; and **Lavinia Fontana**, the first woman to run her own studio, who created works for the nobility and the Church, and managed to balance her career with the role of wife and mother of thirteen children. The exhibition also tells the story of the Dutch painter **Rachel Ruysch**, a renowned flower still life artist and mother of ten children, who achieved international fame and served as a court painter in Düsseldorf.

Artemisia Gentileschi: Self-portrait as a painter

Sofonisba Anguissola: Chess game

In the 17th and 18th centuries, many talented women emerged and became successful scientists, painters, and travelers. The exhibition highlights the fascinating story of the painter and entomologist **Maria Sibylla Merian**, who was the first European woman to undertake a scientific expedition to South America to study insects, and **Elisabetta Sirani**, who ran her own workshop in Bologna and founded a school for female artists, but tragically died under unclear circumstances at the age of 27.

Elisabetta Sirani: Self-portrait as an allegory of painting

In the late 18th century and the early decades of the 19th century, a number of significant female painters emerged—the Swiss portrait painter **Angelika Kauffmann** working in Italy, the native of Jihlava **Barbara Krafft Steiner**, the author of the most famous portrait of Mozart, which is now found on Mozart chocolate balls, the German painter **Amalie von Peter**, who created portrait miniatures and altarpieces in Prague and at the Valdštejn estate in Litomyšl, and **Josefina Mařáková**, known as *Pepa*, the daughter of the painter Julius Mařák. Other female artists followed in their footsteps. As a result, art academies finally opened their doors to women after centuries. Thanks to their talent, family support, and education, they were able to fully dedicate themselves to professional artistic creation, which brought them self-realization, respect, and recognition.

Self-portrait of Angelika Kauffmann

Pepa Mařáková: Self-portrait with her father, Julius Mařák

The exhibition is being made accessible to the public through a variety of educational programs, including art workshops, seminars, programs for schools, the "Focus on Art" course, and guided tours with the curator and other specialists and lecturers. The exhibition also features an interactive studio and a relaxation area, offering visitors the opportunity to learn about 12 contemporary artists and engage in their own creative activities. Furthermore, the Valdštejn Riding School is part of the "Cultural Mile" project, allowing visitors to visit six cultural institutions along the Vltava River with a 20% discount.

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