The founder of AWA, Jane Fortune, was inspired to set up the charity when hearing of renaissance artist Plautilla Nelli. Plautilla was born in 1524 in the city of Florence to wealthy parents. She was convent educated and became a nun at the age of fourteen, a more common route at the time for educated girls whose parents couldn’t afford dowries. Sister Plautilla quickly rose to prominence despite the lack of formal training to become one of the foremost artists of her time. As with the Old Masters, her style attracted disciples that continued in her style and recognition most notably came from one of the most prominent art historians of the renaissance period, Georgio Vasari. In his second edition of Lives of the Artist she was one of the only females mentioned. Nevertheless, her brilliance was forgotten only to be rediscovered three Centuries later by Jane Fortune.
In Autumn of this year AWA unveiled the restoration of Plautilla’s greatest masterpiece: ‘The Last Supper’. The work remained in her convent’s refectory until 1808 and then moved to the church of Santa Maria Novella where it was placed in storage. This staggering piece took years to restore and is now on display at the church of Santa Maria Novella. Restored by Rossella Lari, it is hard to ignore the incredible detail that typified her work. Plautilla Nelli set an astounding precedent, forgotten in favour of the Old Masters, and now can be enjoyed in all its glory.
Grace Axon
ARTE E CULTURA
ARTE E CULTURA
Source: Web Galleries Online
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Source: Wikimedia Commons