Giovanna Garzoni

Giovanna Garzoni (1600-1670) was an Italian painter who was prominent in Europe during the Baroque period. Garzoni started her career painting religious, mythological, and allegorical subjects but became famous for her works with tempera and watercolors of botanical subjects. The artist rose to prominence due to her precision and balance with space and scientific realism of her subjects. Garzoni was often called the Chaste Giovanna due to her vow to remain a virgin. Garzoni is also notable for being one the few women who opted to travel throughout Europe and receive an education during the 17th century instead of settling down and starting a family. Scholars have speculated Garzoni may have been influenced by fellow botanical painter Jacopo Ligozzi although details about Garzoni's training are widely unknown.

Giovanna Garzoni was born in 1600 in Ascoli Piceno in the Marche district of Italy to Giacomo Garzoni and Isabetta Gaia. Both of Garzoni's parents were of Venetian origin and are believed to have come from a long line of Venetian painters but this item is often disputed. Garzoni's grandfather Nicola and uncle Vincenzo from her mother’s side were both goldsmiths while her other uncle, Pietro Gaia, was a painter who studied at the school of Palma the Younger. Historians have widely speculated that Garzoni started off her career as an apprentice under her uncle sometime before 1615. Garzoni also had a brother, Mattio whom she would travel with throughout her career as an artist.

After residing in Rome for the first 15 years of her life, in 1616 Garzoni accepted a commission from chemist Giovanni Vorvino of Rome to paint a herbarium. Four years later in 1620 Garzoni arrived into Venice and painted Saint Andrew for the Venetian Church of the Ospedale delgi Incurabili. Garzoni stayed in Venice for a few more years and during that time attended the Calligraphy school of Giacomo Rogni. Shortly after her studies, Garzoni produced a book of cursive characters called the Libro de'caratteri Cancellereschi Corsivi.

After receiving an education, in 1630 Garzoni along with her brother Mattio, left Venice for Naples where she worked for the Spanish viceroy, The Duke of Alacala. Garzoni remained in Naples for one year until she moved to Rome in 1631. Garzoni’s stay in Rome was short lived however, due to Christina of France’s persistent efforts to have the artist come to Turin to serve as the miniaturist for the Turinese court. Garzoni reached Turin in 1632 and lived there until 1637. After staying in Turin, Garzoni became familiarized with fellow artists Fede Galizia and Panfilo Nuvolone. A few years later in 1640, Garzoni arrived in Paris and stayed there until 1642 when she went to Rome. Garzoni traveled back and forth from Rome to Florence until 1651 where her primary client became was the prominent Medici Family,particularly Grand Duke Ferdinando II, Grand Duchess Victoria, and Gardinal Giovan Carlo.

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