The first female superstar of the Renaissance
One of a tiny number of Renaissance women who painted their way into the world's art museums.
When one thinks about Renaissance artists, the most popular names that flash across one's mind are Leonardo Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, or Botticelli- all essentially men. It was not easy for a woman to achieve acknowledgment in a world dominated by men. Nevertheless, a talented Italian woman named Sofonisba Anguissola had a very successful artistic career in 16th century Europe and is regarded as one of the first female painters to obtain international fame.
Sofonisba Anguissola was born in 1532 in Cremona, northern Italy. In 16th century Italy, young women who wanted to become painters were not allowed to be apprentices in professional studios. Sofonisba studied through her late teens and early 20s under the supervision of the painter Campi. At 22, she met Michaelangelo Buonarroti. Impressed by her talent, he offered to help her and provided feedback and critiques of her work.
War and patriarchal values during the Renaissance kept women at home and ensured that all the names of Renaissance masters belong to men. Born amid the violence and glory of the Renaissance era, Sofonisba Anguissola's indisputable talent attracted the attention of Michaelangelo and the king of Spain. Sofonisba Anguissola was exceptional on many levels. She won fame in her own lifetime as one of a tiny number of Renaissance women who painted their way out of domesticity into the world's art museums. At only 27 she went to Madrid to become one of Europe's most brilliant court painters.
Her works inspired a later generation of baroque artists such as Anthony Van Dyck and Caravaggio.
References:
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