Unknown Lavinia Fontana erotic painting surfaces in private collection

A previously unknown erotic painting by Lavinia Fontana, the 16th-century Bolognese Mannerist and one of Europe's first professional women artists, has surfaced in a private collection. Scholar Enrico Maria dal Pozzolo identified the slate-panel work depicting three identifiable nude sitters. It appears in 'Lavinia Fontana: Erotic Paintings' (Yale University Press, £45 / US$50), published 29 September 2026.