Rediscovering Plautilla Bricci, Rome's First Professional Woman Architect
Artnet News
by Karen ChernickFebruary 26, 2026
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Rediscovering Plautilla Bricci, Rome's First Professional Woman Architect
Plautilla Bricci, a trailblazing Baroque artist and Italy’s first professional female architect, is the subject of renewed attention as her painting *The Birth of the Virgin* undergoes restoration at Rome’s Church of Santa Maria in Campo Marzio. The nonprofit organization Artemisia Gold is leading the effort to restore this masterpiece, which has been overlooked for centuries despite its historical significance. Bricci, active during the mid-17th century, was a polymathic artist who excelled as a painter, architect, sculptor, and musician. Her contributions to Roman Baroque art are now being celebrated through this restoration project, which aims to uncover hidden details and shed light on her extraordinary career.
Bricci’s story is one of resilience and creativity in a male-dominated field. Born into
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Originally published on Artnet News on 2/26/2026