Iaia facts for kids
Iaia of Cyzicus was a famous Roman painter. She lived around the time of Marcus Terentius Varro (116–27 BC). Sometimes, people incorrectly call her Lala or Lalla.
Life of Iaia
Iaia was born in a city called Cyzicus. She became a very skilled painter and also an ivory engraver. It is thought that Iaia moved to Rome because there was a big demand for art there. This was during the late Roman Republic.
Most of her paintings were said to be of women. A famous writer named Pliny mentioned that she painted a large picture of an old woman. She also painted a picture of herself. Iaia was known for working faster and painting better than her male rivals, Sopolis and Dionysius. Because of her great skills, she earned more money than them. Iaia chose to remain unmarried throughout her life.
Iaia's Impact on Culture
Iaia in Books
Iaia is one of only five female artists from ancient times mentioned by Pliny the Elder. He wrote about her in his book Natural History. The other artists he mentioned were Timarete, Irene, Aristarete, and Olympias.
Iaia is also one of three women artists mentioned in De mulieribus claris. This book was written by Giovanni Boccaccio. More recently, Iaia inspired a character named Julie Lambert. Julie is the main character in the novel "Shining Harmony" (2017) and the poetry book "Living and Not Living" (2018). Both were written by Italian writer Sabrina Gatti. In the novel, Julie is a talented painter who looks up to Iaia. She even paints a picture of Iaia working in her art studio. In the poetry book, the young woman feels completely connected to Iaia.
Iaia in Artworks
Iaia's name (written as Lalla) is featured on the Heritage Floor. This is a famous artwork by Judy Chicago.
See also
In Spanish: Iaia de Cícico para niños
