Anna Maria Vaiani

Anna Maria Vaiani (or Anna Maria Vaiana) (died ) was an Italian engraver, who was most known for her botanical engravings and designs.

Biography

Anna Maria Vaiani was born in Florence in 1604. Her father, Alessandro Vaiani, was a painter.

Anna Maria Vaiani was widely known during her time. She was affiliated with the painters and miniaturist guild Accademia di San Luca and the scientific guild Accademia dei Lincei. Women were uncommon to be part of academies during this period. Vaiani worked alongside and collaborated with many artists, such as Virginia da Vezzo, who was also a part of the Academia di San Luca. She acquired Cardinal Francesco Barberini as her patron through Galileo's influence. The Barberini family supported Vaiani throughout her career as patrons and associates. Other collaborative fresco pieces include the Agony in the Garden, the Flagellation, the Crowning with Thorns, and the Road to the Calvary. Many of her paintings were commissioned by the Barberini family. Some decorated the chapel of Urban VIII in the Vatican and various other chapels. One of Vaiani's most famous paintings was the Madonna and Christ Child with John the Baptist and Cherubs.

De Florum Cultura Vaiani was one of the artists who contributed copper-plate etchings in 1633 to illustrate Giovanni Battista Ferrari's De Florum Cultura, which was based on Barberini's botanical garden. De Florum Cultura can be found in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and other institutions.

Galleria Giustiniani The Galleria Giustiniani is a catalog of Vincenzo Giustiniani's collection of ancient Roman statues made in 1631 under the direction of Joachim von Sandrart. Vaiani engraved three plates for this collection: Two Busts of Women, Two Busts of Old Men, and Statue of Pallas Athena.

Gallery