Sofonisba Anguissola

Italian, ca. 1532–1625

BiographyBorn in Cremona, Italy in 1532, Sofonisba Anguissola was the eldest of seven children. Anguissola came from a very affluent family; her father, Amilcare Anguissola, was a member of the Genoese minor nobility, and her mother Bianca came from a similar noble background. Anguissola's affluent background, as well as the encouragement of her parents, allowed her and her siblings access to the finest education with a particular emphasis on the fine arts. In fact, four of the Anguissola sisters became painters, though Sofonisba was by the far the most renowned.

At the age of fourteen, Anguissola was sent with her sister Elena to study under Bernardino Campi, a well-respected portraitist and religious painter of the Lombard school. The Anguissolas continued their studies with Bernardino Gatti after Campi relocated to another city. Sofonisba traveled to Rome in 1554 where she was introduced to Michelangelo by a mutual friend. The two developed a lasting friendship, and Anguissola was able to receive the benefit of informal training from the accomplished master. This informal study continued for at least two years, throughout which Anguissola received invaluable advice and instruction.

In 1557, at the age of twenty seven, Anguissola traveled to Madrid, Spain to serve as a court painter and lady-in-waiting to the Queen, Elisabeth of Valois. Anguissola mainly served as a tutor to the Queen, who was an amateur painter, and was considered quite successful at the task. After gaining the confidence of the Queen, Anguissola moved on to paint many formal portraits of the Royal Family.

In 1571, Anguissola married Don Francisco de Moncada, the son of the prince of Paterno, a union arranged by King Philip II. The two left the Spanish court in 1578 and traveled extensively, until Moncada's death in 1579. Anguissola later remarried, this time to a much younger ship captain named Orazio Lomellio, in 1580.

Anguissola had a lasting influence upon the next generation of Italian artists. Her works were widely circulated and very well received. Her portrait of Queen Elisabeth of Valois was among the most widely copied paintings in Spain, and was even copied by Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens. Her self and family portraits are considered her finest works and are admired for their delicacy and charm. Her self-portraits are characterized by an attempt to convey modesty and poise; she often depicts herself in high-necked, dark gowns, actively reading or painting, or engaged in some other scholarly activity. Due to the constraints of her time (it was considered improper for females, even painters to view nudes), Anguissola was unable to study anatomy and therefore unable to depict the nudes and larger religious works which were popular subjects amongst her contemporaries. Still, her impressive legacy is thought to have lead the way for other talented female successors, including Artemisia Gentileschi and Lavinia Fontana.