Sofonisba Anguissola (Anguisciola), after her self-portrait

This work is based on a 1556 self-portrait by Italian painter Sofonisba Anguissola, one of the few well-known female artists from the Renaissance. Though not an exact copy—Baillie added the arch and the lower half of Anguissola’s body—it captures the light illuminating her face and hands, as well as her canvas. Baillie’s mezzotint is evidence of appreciation for her work in the 18th century, when many Europeans purchased prints based on paintings they admired. The mezzotint technique was suited to imitating the effect of paint because, unlike other methods of the time, it allowed for subtle gradations between light and dark. A printmaker would roughen the entire surface of the metal printing plate to make it hold ink, then burnish the white areas smooth.