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Italian/Spanish Artists: Sofonisba Anguissola --Career

Figure 1.-- This portrait is unmistakingly the work of Sofonisba Anguissola. It is often described as three children and a dog, but is a portrait of the artist’s sisters and brother painted about 1555. As a teenager and young woman, Anguissola wazs limited as to who she could paint. Painting strangers, especially men was out of the question. So she painted her family. They look to be the youngest of the seven Anguissola children: Minerva, Asdrubale (the only boy), and Anna Maria. Notice the wondeful expressions. You can tell so much about them. Asdrubale in the middle is especially interesting. He has a knowing expression, notice the raised eyebrows. Little Minerva looks like she is trying to hold back a giggle. Another portrait shows her giggling. These are unlike other Renaissance portraits of chilren are adults. We also have excellent good depictions of hair and fashion.

Sofonisba's early paintings were of her family, her panents and siblings. This reflected the conventiins of the day. A young women was not allowed to have abything to do with strangers. This included painting strangers. As a result, we have quite a few family images and they are wonmderful images. ` The individuals she painted virtually come to life when you look at them. If you study their faces you get a good idea of what ws going through their minds. And of course we have very accurate dpictions of hair styles and clothing. Her intreaguing portraits were soon attracting the notice of the airistocracy in Mantua and Parma. Michalangelo praised her drawings. Anguisolla, still in her 20s, was called to Spain by King Phillip II, a patron of the arts. Much of Italy at the time was ruled by Spain. She worked in Spain for 14 years, as an art instructor to Queen Isabel and as a court painter, producing some of the most personal images of the royal family. Most are now in the Prado. In Spain she had to conform to court painting conventions so we do not see the same dlightful play of prsonlity tht we see in her family portraits. She seems to almost exclusively painted portraits. We do not see any historical or genre work and only one religious works. Most Renaissance artists did many or at least some religious work. At the time, the Church was a major source of lucrative commisions. We are left to wonder if this rlected here relgious beliefs or perhaps more likely the Church's refusal to grant commissions to a woman.

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HBC

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Created: 6:38 PM 11/14/2017
Last updated: 6:38 PM 11/14/2017