Abstract

Properzia De Rossi (1490-1530) was one of the few female sculptors active during the
Italian Renaissance and the only female artist given a full biography in Giorgio Vasari’s
canonical work, Lives of the Artists (second edition, 1568), which highlights the high standing
she acquired. Her piece, Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife, commissioned by the Fabbrica of the San
Petronio Basilica in Bologna for its façade during major renovations in anticipation of the
coronation of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V is not only one of her most notable works but
also her most infamous sculpture, and was ultimately excluded from the final design for reasons
unclear. The origins of the commission, the design of the piece, and the reputation that surrounds
it are equally unclear. The information we do have, coming primarily from Vasari, paints a
muddled picture of De Rossi’s legacy and reputation.

This thesis aims to answer questions surrounding the origin and motivation behind the
commission, the artist's intentions in her execution of the piece, and to verify Vasari’s claims and
confirm whether his conflicting account is legitimate or fabricated. Further, this thesis will
explore the role gender played in De Rossi’s career, popularity, and reputation both surrounding
this commission and outside of it. The thesis will also analyze how her position as a female artist
in Renaissance Bologna may have played a role in her choices surrounding the depiction of
Potiphar’s wife in her quadro.