Two of the city’s museums will be teaming up for the first retrospective exhibition of the work of Michaelina Wautier (1614–1689), in a unique partnership between the Rubens House and the MAS. The exhibition is a world premiere in demonstrating the exceptional talent of an artist who became popular in a period when female artists were very rare. Her work is so varied and unique that it defies all imagination when it comes to art history.
Glass ceilings have been around for years: it was an almost impossible task to make a name as a female artist in the 17th century. Despite being a good match for her fellow male artists, Michaelina’s work still ended up being forgotten. We currently know of around thirty of her works. These bear witness to challenging topics and a superior pictorial technique.
Very little is known about Michaelina Wautier herself. Her life is barely documented. Born in Mons, this artist moved to Brussels soon after 1640, together with her older brother, the painter Charles Wautier (1609 -1703). Both remained unmarried and lived in a stately town house near the Chapel Church (Kappellekerk).
For more information www.mas.be/en/michaelina