Donna in scena: Female emancipation in 19th-20th century art at Treviso

The Museo Santa Caterina in Treviso presents 'Donna in scena. Boldini, Selvatico, Martini', an exhibition curated by Fabrizio Malachin that explores female emancipation through over 150 works from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The show features portraits by Giovanni Boldini, Giacomo Grosso, Vittorio Corcos, John Lavery, Giuseppe de Nittis, Federico Zandomeneghi, Ettore Tito, Eleuterio Pagliaro, Giulio Ettore Erler, and Lino Selvatico, among others. It highlights the changing role of women in society, from bourgeois salons to emerging public figures like Eleonora Duse, Toti Dal Monte, and Lydia Borelli. The exhibition was sparked by the acquisition of a large nucleus of works by Lino Selvatico, a leading portraitist of early 20th-century fashion. Malachin, director of the Musei Civici di Treviso, notes that the show reflects a period when women gained electoral, economic, and social rights, and female portraiture became a prominent genre. Two rooms are dedicated to star personalities like the Marchesa Casati. The exhibition also showcases the artistic vitality of Treviso, described as a 'little Athens', with talents including Alberto Martini and Lino Selvatico. The museum has opened new rooms dedicated to Bepi Fabiano, Giovanni Barbisan, Nino Springolo, and Alberto Martini's graphic works, aiming to enhance its permanent collection and attract donations.