Elisabetta Sirani

Elisabetta Sirani (1638-1665)--painter, printmaker, and teacher--was one of the most innovative and prolific artists of the Bolognese school. The daughter of a painter, she hailed from a city whose university was believed to have had educated women since the Middle Ages and that celebrated the cult of Saint Catherine of Bologna, who was known for her skill as a painter and illuminator--ideal conditions to encourage the training and patronage of skilled women artists. Drawing on extensive archival documentation and primary sources, including inventories, sale catalogues, and Sirani's work diary, this book provides an overview of the brief life, fascinating oeuvre, critical fortune, and cultural legacy of this successful Baroque artist.