Female Neapolitan Brilliance in Michela de Vito

Discovering the virtuoso brilliance of Michela de Vito (fl.1820s/30s) this week, the unsung daughter or sister of the celebrated painter of Neapolitan gouaches Camillo de Vito. Michela, a native of Abruzzo, was active in Naples in the first half of the 19th century. Her work has sometimes been ascribed to a male Michele de Vito, likely due to the rarity of women artists working professionally at this time. She typically produced watercolours depicting popular figures, costumes and scenes from different regions of Italy—most frequently within the historic Kingdom of Naples. Her colourful and idealised depictions, drawn with exquisite delicacy, would have greatly appealed to Grand Tour collectors, and leave a rich record of local character in early 19th century Italy.

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