Diana Mantuana: becoming the first female engraver

Abstract

Diana Mantuana began engraving during the late sixteenth century in her hometown of Mantua, where she created nearly half of her extant prints before moving to Rome with her new husband in 1575. While some of Diana's engravings have been documented for hundreds of years, her biography has only recently been the subject of scholarship. These efforts have focused primarily on Diana's later work in Rome, leaving her early career in Mantua underexplored. This thesis will examine the influences and processes from this early period (1560-75) that helped to make Diana a successful engraver during the sixteenth century and the first known woman engraver of the Italian Renaissance. During her time in Mantua, Diana worked under the tutelage of her brother Adamo Scultori and father Giovanni Battista Scultori. She signed many of her engravings with her full first name in block letters consistently, making clear her authorship of the print. Many of the compositions or components of these early prints were directly related to the designs of Giulio Romano, an earlier, well-regarded Mantuan Court artist. Several of the engravings include inscriptions that explicitly identify Giulio Romano as the inventor of the composition while also identifying Diana as the engraver of the image. As she developed her skill, Diana incorporated increasingly elaborate dedications and inscriptions within her engravings. These inscriptions gave a voice to this woman who left no other known writings. While many of her later works are better known, it is her early engravings that provide insight to Diana's circumstances and practices that led to her success as an engraver.