Women Artists Erased from History

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:  Oh, dearest Reddies, I do not have to describe to you the joys of research.  And how always, always, you find not only what you were looking for, but always always something you never could have predicted.

Our our darling Gigi Pandian had that experience--and it will surprise you--and also leave you fuming  and furious.

The true history--women artists erased from history
    By  Gigi Pandian

Thanks for inviting me to be here today, Hank! I’m delighted to be celebrating having a new book out this month: THE ALCHEMIST OF BRUSHSTROKES AND BRIMSTONE, my 8th Accidental Alchemist novel. 

More than perhaps any of my other books, I went down a deep and winding rabbit hole of research for this one — so much so that my initial outline went entirely out the window! — so I thought I’d share one of the fascinating historical stories that blew my mind when I encountered it. 

One of my favorite things about writing is historical research — except that I need to remind myself to stop researching to write! My initial story plan had me  digging into the history of poisonous pigments and paints, which do feature prominently in the book, but then I got waylaid by the story of Judith Leyster.

Have you heard of Judith Leyster? She was a Dutch artist from the 1600s, widely acclaimed during her lifetime — until future historians wrote her out of history.

Though she was famous during her lifetime, after her death art historians attributed her work to either her husband (Jan Miense Molenaer) or renowned artist Frans Hals, whose paintings were somewhat similar in style to hers.

Thus, instead of becoming one of the artists we learn about in history books, for over 200 years she was written out of history. I dug deeper, and the story of her rediscovery is something straight out of fiction.

In 1892, a painting known as The Happy Couple was sold to a British art dealer. It bore the signature of Frans Hals. But on closer inspection, Hals’ signature looked suspicious. The painting was tested, revealing that a forged Hals signature had been added on top of Judith Leyster’s signature. Leyster signed her paintings with a distinctive monogram, and it was clearly one of her paintings. A court case followed. 

And here’s the wildest part of the court case: The art dealer who’d been tricked went to court not because of the forged signature itself, but rather, his argument was that the painting, by virtue of being by Franz Hals instead of Judith Leyster, was now worthless!

(ed note: and here it is from the Louvre from Wiki)

That so-called “worthless” painting? It now hangs in the Louvre.  

That historical wrong has been corrected, but there are many stories out there like it. So many that there’s a movement of art historians working to find other historical coverups, and to unearth artwork that’s buried in basements of museums because the works of art are by “unknown” women artists instead of famous painters in existing history books. 

After going down that rabbit hole, my planned plot didn’t go exactly as expected, but I’m thrilled with how it turned out. Pigments gardens and poisoned paints set the stage for an even deeper mystery than I’d first intended — with alchemist Zoe Faust solving a mystery that sets the historical record straight about a woman who’d been written out of history.

HANK and GIGI: What do you think? Do you have a favorite piece of little-known history? Or something you have a feeling we’ve yet to discover?

About THE ALCHEMIST OF BRUSHSTROKES AND BRIMSTONE

A stolen masterpiece. A brilliant woman written out of history. And a recipe for a lost color worth killing for.

In the spellbinding eighth installment of the Accidental Alchemist Mysteries, centuries-old alchemist Zoe Faust and living gargoyle Dorian Robert-Houdin face their most colorful case yet!

Zoe’s hard-won peaceful life is shattered when a devious thief targets her most prized possession—a vibrant portrait that’s her last connection to her long-dead brother. It’s a painting that also holds the secrets of a forgotten artist who created recipes for the most breathtaking colors ever seen.

When the canvas disappears and murder follows, Zoe must unravel a palette of deadly puzzles. With her quick-witted sidekick Dorian and their eclectic group of friends, Zoe races to catch a killer, evade a secret society, and recover her beloved painting. But the quest is bigger than solving a present-day crime. Can Zoe finally set the historical record straight for a gifted painter erased from the history of art?

Out now in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats (the narrator of the audiobooks for the whole series is fantastic!). 

https://www.gigipandian.com/the-alchemist-of-brushstrokes-and-brimstone

About Gigi Pandian

Gigi Pandian is a USA Today bestselling and multi-award-winning mystery author, breast cancer survivor, and accidental almost-vegan. She’s been awarded Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Derringer awards, and been a finalist for the Edgar. Gigi writes the Accidental Alchemist mysteries (humorous mysteries with a touch of magic), Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mysteries (lighthearted adventures steeped in history), and Secret Staircase mysteries (locked-room mysteries called “wildly entertaining” by the New York Times Book Review). She lives in Northern California with her husband and a gargoyle who watches over their backyard garden. For bookish fun, sign up for her email newsletter at gigipandian.com.