Michaelina Wautier: The Rebirth of a 17th-Century Iconic Artist

Michaelina Wautier (c. 1614–1689) was exceptional in every respect. A seventeenth-century artist from Brussels, she painted not only flowers, as many women artists did, but also portraits, scenes of everyday life, religious themes, and mythological pictures in both small and large formats. The variety of her iconography suggests an outstanding intellectual education, while the superiority of her style hints at excellent artistic training.

The Kunsthistorische Museum is the ideal place to exhibit Wautier’s work and reveal the uniqueness of her versatile talent. Archduke Leopold Wilhelm, the great Habsburg collector, owned four of Michaelina’s paintings – among them the monumental Triumph of Bacchus, today a highlight of the museum’s collection and one of the most emblematic works by a female artist in Early Modern Baroque art.

In her lecture, Katlijne Van der Stighelen invites you to discover Wautier as a brilliant, lyrical, and above all, avant-garde artist. Discover her extraordinary story and explore the exhibition Michaelina Wautier, Painter, on view until February 22, 2026!

Für die Teilnahme an der Veranstaltung ist ein gültiges Museumsticket notwendig. Für Jahreskartenbesitzer*innen, Patrons, Members und Ambassadors sowie ICOM-Mitglieder ist die Teilnahme kostenlos.