Women from the upper classes in Renaissance Italy had only two options in life: the convent or marriage. These things made it incredibly difficult for them to become artists. They were not allowed to receive formal training and were taught by their fathers or self-taught. Once they did emerge, they would be regarded as less feminine and more masculine.Despite their challenges, some women were still able to become prominent artists during the Renaissance. Here are some famous female artists from this period who overcame various cultural and social limitations.
Levina Teerlinc
Levina Teerlinc was a Flemish miniaturist who served as a painter for the courts of Edward VI, Henry VIII, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. She was the daughter of Simon Bening, an illuminator at the Ghent-Bruges school. Before she married, she worked in her father’s workshop.
After she and her husband moved to England, King Henry VIII hired her as a court artist. She played an important role in the development of the portrait miniature. Her documented works include portraits presented to the sovereign, such as an oval miniature known as “An Elizabethan Maundy” given to Queen Elizabeth in 1563.
Caterina van Hemessen
Caterina van Hemessen was regarded as the earliest known female Flemish artist during the Renaissance. She is known for her small-scale portraits that were created between the 1540s and the 1550s. Some of her religious works were also produced during this period.
Caterina van Hemessen is also the first woman to create a self-portrait during the Renaissance. Due to the various challenges women had to overcome during this period, she was taught by her father, Jan van Hemessen. She mainly depicted wealthy individuals and women.
Sofonisba Anguissola
Another prominent female artist during the Renaissance was the late Italian artist Sofonisba Anguissola. She was trained by local artist Bernardino Campi and renowned artist Bernardino Gatti. Her father’s reputation and influence allowed her to receive encouragement from Michelangelo through drawing. She then tutored Queen Elizabeth of Valois in Madrid. She eventually became an official court portraitist for Philip II.
Lavinia Fontana
Among the first women to paint nudes, Italian artist and painter Lavinia Fontana is regarded as the first woman to achieve this. She was the daughter of Prospero, and she made significant progress in the field of portraiture. She was also commissioned to create mythological and religious works.
When she moved to Rome, she became a court portraitist for Pope Paul V. She received numerous honors, such as the bronze medallion, which architect and sculptor Antonio Casoni made. “Christ with the Symbols of Passion,” one of her earliest works, is now in the El Paso Art Museum.
Fede Galizia
Fede Galizia was an Italian Renaissance artist who pioneered the still life genre. She was influenced by various works, such as those by Correggio and Leonardo. Although she was mainly known for her still lifes, she was also known for creating altarpieces, portraits, and miniatures. Robert Longhi, an art critic, referred to her as a “somewhat afflicted” artist due to how precise and detailed her still lifes were. Her works were painted in vibrant colors and featured fruits and flowers peaking from the darkness.