"Barbara Strozzi"

instant photograph (Polaroid)

signed, titled, dated and numbered on verso

Barbara Strozzi (1619 – after 1664)
The Woman Composer
Only her mother, Isabella Garzoni, is listed in the baptism register at the church of Santa Sofia. Isabella was the housekeeper
and companion of Giulio Strozzi, who adopted their daughter, designating her mother as the heir until the girl reached the age of majority. Giulio Strozzi, himself the illegitimate son of Roberto Strozzi, was a poet, a libbretist and a promoter, a member of the Accademia degli Incogniti, focusing on contempo- rary music of the era. In 1634 Barbara Strozzi debuted as a singer in the private Accademia, fascinating composers such as Nicolò Fontei, who would dedicate a series of songs to her. In 1637 Giulio Strozzi founded his own Accademia, the famous Accademia degli Unisoni, which became a public stage for Barbara, who had studied the techniques of composition under prestigious masters such as Monteverdi’s disciple, Francesco Cavalli. Her status as the autonomous interpreter of works composed by men, besides as composer and interpreter of her own pieces would soon invite envy, mockery and derision. Barbara’s education in the vocal arts made it possible for her to be identified as a courtesan though the portrait in which she posed for Bernardo Strozzi (of no relation) around 1635 shows a woman able to follow her path as a composer, apparently untouched by her “open heart”. In 1644 Barbara Strozzi began to publish her compositions: four volumes and a collection of Motetti, called the “Sacra Corona” were released by 1659. Barbara plays part in the “league” of the most productive composers of her time, composing over 125 works, all of excellent artistic quality. The books for her works were written by her father Strozzi. For many years the composer had a private relationship with Paolo Vidman, who fathered her three children, living her life under the roof of her paternal home and that of her partner’s wife.

Donne Illustri
Caffà Florian on St Mark’s Square in Venice: in the “Sala degli Uomini Illustri” (salon of famous men) hang ten oil paintings by Giulio Carlini (1826–1887). Irene Andessner confronts these posthumously painted portraits of famous Venetians – from Marco Polo via Titian to Goldoni – with ten Venetian women, among them the city’s most famous composer (Barbara Strozzi) and painter (Rosalba Carriera) and the most expensive courtesan (Veronica Franco), as well as the first female doctor (Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia) and the world’s first female lawyer (Moderata Fonte). Through this intervention the Sala degli Uomini Illustri is transformed into the Sala delle Donne Illustri (salon of famous women). A picture puzzle-like disturbance: disregarding make-up, wardrobe, light, decoration and pictorial detail, Andessner’s portrayals differ from the historical picture references of the ten female figures in that she has not copied the bearing and look of the women, but rather of the men from the portraits hanging above. Thus the self-perception, the pre-potency of the male counterparts is broken. 
A further room, the Saletta Liberty, is turned into the “Moderata Fonte Room” with a Fonte/Andessner photographic full-length self-portrait in a light box. Opposite this portrait Andessner places a “Fonte” portrait painted in oil on canvas, for which she sat as model in the workshop of Marinella Biscaro.
“7 Gentildonne”: as a preliminary to the exhibition Andessner convenes a meeting of seven Italians in the Caffà Florian men’s salon – inspired by Moderata Fonte’s debate in the novel “Verdienst der Frauen” [merit of women], documented as a video work. In the photo production for the Venice project there are additional full-length portraits, which transpose into our time the historicised portrayals of women (only visible in oval bust details in the room installation) by means of complete styling. In these images it can also be seen that the artist has the camera shutter release in her hand; which means – in contrast to earlier productions – she releases the image herself in just that moment when she herself inwardly feels the particular role so fully that she is sure she is bringing the personality of that model woman perfectly to expression. This way of working corresponds to the historical Venetian women, who likewise developed and lived out their professions self-determined and self-employed, independent of men. The full-length self-portraits are executed as light boxes. 
The “Donne Illustri” project, curated by Stefano Stipitivich, takes place under the auspices of the Art Programme of the Caffà Florian. Started over 15 years ago by the caf» owner and art collector Daniela Gaddo Vedaldi, the series of exhibitions has so far represented artists such as Mimmo Rotella (1990), Fabrizio Plessi (1993 and 2001) and Luca Buvoli (1997)