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Art Detective Unearths 17th Century Genius, Wautier
19 Aug
Summary
- Forgotten paintings by 17th-century artist Michaelina Wautier resurfaced.
- An art historian's 33-year search uncovered lost works.
- Wautier's art is now showcased in a major London exhibition.
A chance encounter in a Vienna museum storeroom in 1993 marked the beginning of a remarkable 33-year journey to rediscover the 17th-century artist Michaelina Wautier. Art historian Katlijne Van der Stighelen's investigation led to the recovery of Wautier's previously lost "Five Senses" series.
Throughout her lifetime, Wautier was a successful painter patronized by influential figures, but her work was later misattributed, sometimes to male contemporaries or her own brother. Her exclusion from the Brussels Guild of Saint Luke did not deter her from tackling ambitious subjects and producing large-scale works.
The "Five Senses" series, dated around 1650, resurfaced in 2020 and was privately sold, with a pledge to donate them to Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. This discovery transformed a decades-long search into a tangible body of work that can now be examined together.
By 2026, Wautier's oeuvre is being celebrated in a major exhibition at London's Royal Academy. This exhibition highlights not only her rediscovered works but also the meticulous process of art historical detective work required to restore her reputation.
