"The Tulip," Judith Leyster, 1643.

Leyster (1609-60) suffered a fate common to many women artists....she was respected and popular in her time, but after her death her work was attributed to male artists.

Leyster was a busy painter of still lifes, portraits, and genre scenes (everyday life). Details of her early life and education are scant, but she joined the local artists' guild when she was 20. She busily painted until her marriage in 1636 to another painter, Jan Molenaer, when she slowed down, and she died at 50. After her passing, her work was credited either to her husband or to painter Frans Hals, whom she once sued, but also may have been her teacher, as their styles are very similar.

Her work was rediscovered in 1893 and a huge project was undertaken to analyze various works. Now a substantial body of work is credited to her.

Happy Flower Friday!

From the Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem.

#Art #DutchGoldenAge #JudithLeyster #WomenArtists #FlowerFriday