NGV displays world's first female painter

The world's first professional female painter is on display at the National Gallery of Victoria, after it acquired a 400-year-old painting by Italian artist Lavinia Fontana.

Fontana, who was born in 1552 and died in 1614, is widely recognised as the first woman to become a professional painter in Europe.

Through the Felton Bequest, the NGV has acquired one of Fontana's earliest paintings, titled Mystic marriage of St Catherine, circa 1575, which illustrates a vision experienced by the Christian martyr St Catherine of Alexandria.

The artwork illustrates Catherine, who lived in Egypt while it was under Roman rule and was persecuted for her beliefs, consecrating herself to Christ.

It is the first Fontana painting to enter a public collection in Australia and will bring a new perspective to the gallery's Italian Baroque collection.

Fontana was the first woman admitted into the illustrious guild for painters in Rome, the Accademia di San Luca.

Her early work featured strong and powerful women from ancient mythology and Christian history.

She was actively encouraged by her parents to become an artist and her father, Prospero Fontana, was her teacher. Her painting will sit alongside one of her father's artworks.

NGV director Tony Ellwood said the painting speaks to Fontana's "prodigious talent" and will help the gallery build towards better gender equality in its artwork.

"This is a significant addition to the NGV Collection and joins other key acquisitions in recent years that take important steps towards addressing historical gender imbalances by highlighting the artistic accomplishments of women throughout art history," he said.

"Mystic marriage of St Catherine is the earliest work by a known female artist to enter the gallery's collection and it establishes a legacy that will resonate with generations of visitors.

"The NGV has been investigating this particular artist for many years and are grateful to the Felton Bequest for generously acquiring this work for the NGV."

Mystic marriage of St Catherine is on display on level one at NGV on St Kilda Road in Melbourne, with entry to see the artwork free to all.