Personifications of Painting and Sculpture sitting on clouds 1600 - 1633

Jacopo Palma the Younger created this pen and brown ink drawing of the *Personifications of Painting and Sculpture sitting on clouds* sometime in the late 16th or early 17th century. Living and working in Venice, Palma was a part of the artistic and intellectual circles which were dominated by men. Here, Palma develops alternative narratives, rendering the arts of painting and sculpture as female figures, allegorizing qualities of creativity and skill as feminine. These women are placed on the clouds, the domain of the gods, and their status is further elevated by their classical drapery, as they look to each other in creative collaboration. One holds a statuette, while the other holds a palette. In Renaissance and Baroque art, the female nude was often depicted to convey abstract ideas, such as beauty, virtue, or in this case, artistic genius. Palma's drawing provides insight into the cultural values and gender dynamics of his time, and asks us to consider the roles of women in the arts.