French museum uncovers in storage picture by Renaissance woman master

A recently discovered painting by Italian woman artist Lavinia Fontana, entitled 'Portrait Of A Gentleman, His Daughter And A Maid' (centre) is on display at the Museum de la Chartreuse in Douai, northern France. Photo: AFP

A provincial museum in northern France on Friday showed off a picture now attributed to one of the greatest women painters of the Italian Renaissance, Lavinia Fontana, but which had for decades languished in its storage.

The picture - Portrait Of A Gentleman, His Daughter And A Servant - will now be a centre piece of the collection of the musee de la Chartreuse in Douai in northern France.