Sofonisba Anguissola (c.1532-1625), an Italian Renaissance painter, became one of the first female artists to gain international reputation. She did not come from a family of artists, yet her father supported her to receive extensive education including fine art. She studied with Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), Bernardino Campi (1522-1592), Bernandino Gatti (C. 1495-1576), Sojaro (c. 1495-1576). At a time when ambitious career women were considered ‘unwomanly’ as an insult, Anguissola became celebrated and rejected objectifying women in her artworks, as often done by male artists of the time. Anguissola in her self-portrait “Self-portrait at the Easel” (1556) presents herself painting Virgin Mary and Christ. Painting herself with her palette, brush and stick was rare for the era and it implies she was seeking recognition for her artistic skills. Became celebrated and her work aimed to reject the portrayal of women as objects.
