1581 in art

Events from the year 1581 in art.

Events

 * September 19 – Arnold Bronckhorst is appointed first court painter to James VI of Scotland.
 * Construction of the Uffizi in Florence as magistrates' offices, designed by Giorgio Vasari and continued by Alfonso Parigi the Elder and Bernardo Buontalenti, is completed.

Works

 * Anonymous – Portrait of Dorothy and Penelope Devereux (approximate date)
 * Antonio Campi – The Martyrdom of St. Lawrence (San Paolo Converso, Milan)
 * Lavinia Fontana
 * Deposition
 * Noli me tangere
 * Nicholas Hilliard – Portrait miniature of Sir Francis Drake

Births

 * October 21 – Domenico Zampieri, Baroque Italian painter (died 1641)
 * December 27 - Jean Chalette, French miniature and portrait painter (died 1643)
 * date unknown
 * Johan Bara, Dutch painter, designer and engraver (died 1634)
 * Frans Francken the Younger, Flemish painter (died 1642)
 * Cornelis Liefrinck, Dutch painter (died 1652)
 * Abraham Matthijs, Flemish Baroque painter (died 1649)
 * Fillide Melandroni, Italian courtesan, model for Caravaggio (died 1618)
 * Panfilo Nuvolone, Italian Mannerist painter (died 1651)
 * Carlo Sellitto, Italian Caravaggisti painter (died 1614)
 * Artus Wolffort, Flemish painter (died 1641)
 * probable
 * Bernardo Strozzi, Italian painter (died 1644)

Deaths

 * September 19 - Frans Pourbus the Elder, Flemish Renaissance painter primarily of religious and portraits (born 1545)
 * date unknown
 * Girolamo Comi, Italian Renaissance painter (born 1507)