A recently discovered painting by Clara Peeters, a renowned 17th-century Flemish Baroque artist, was found tucked away in an Oslo museum’s storage room. The painting, named “Still Life with Small Game and Grapes on a Gilded Tazza,” was initially believed to be created by Ambrosius Brueghel but later reattributed to Peeters after art historian Cynthia Osiecki’s diligent research.

Osiecki’s keen eye spotted subtle clues in the painting, such as the unique depiction of nine dead birds, hazelnuts, and apricots, characteristic of Peeters’ style. Peeters was known for incorporating self-portraits in reflective surfaces within her works, asserting her professional identity in a male-dominated art world. Despite challenges like woodworm damage obscuring Peeters’ signature, Osiecki’s meticulous study and comparison of Peeters’ other works confirmed her authorship.

The National Museum of Norway is set to showcase Peeters’ painting alongside works by other historic female artists in the “Woman Painter” exhibition, aiming to shed light on underrepresented artistic careers. This discovery highlights the importance of continuing efforts to recognize and attribute artworks to female artists whose contributions have been overshadowed or forgotten over time.