She was known for her exquisitely crafted and painted wood and terracotta sculptures, and served as the court sculptor to two Spanish kings. Despite her success and acclaim, the work of La Roldana has been largely forgotten by modern art history.
Luisa Roldán (Getty Publications, $40.00) is an accessibly written monograph, suitable for art lovers of all backgrounds. This gorgeously illustrated book presents a long overdue exploration of Roldán’s oeuvre, while situating her work in the prevalent historical and social dynamics of her milieu. This volume places Roldán and her work alongside some of her peers, including Velázquez, Murillo, and Zurburán. This context reveals how talented and admired La Roldana was, as well as what life was like for this trailblazing artist of seventeenth-century Spain.
Luisa Roldán is the first in a series of books entitled Illuminating Women Artists published in partnership with UK publisher Lund Humphries. This series of beautifully illustrated books is the first to focus in a deliberate and sustained way on women artists throughout history, to recognize their accomplishments, to revive their name recognition, and to make their works better known to art enthusiasts of the 21st century.
The Illuminating Women Artists series launches at a critical moment in our culture. It is a significant contribution to a movement underway—among scholars, museums, art dealers and collectors, and the wider world of cultural heritage—to reassess the contributions of women artists.
Catherine Hall-van den Elsen studied Spanish art at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. She completed her MA and PhD on the life and work of Luisa Roldán.
An independent press based in the UK, Lund Humphries has been a leading publisher of illustrated art books since 1939. The Illuminating Women Artists series sits alongside an existing list of illustrated monographs on modern and contemporary women artists, from Barbara Hepworth to Katharina Grosse.