Biography on Sofonisba

“In a famous 1971 essay American art historian Linda Nochlin asked “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?” Sofonisba Anguissola is a rare example of a famous female artist in the Renaissance. Discuss her life and work in terms of gender.” WORD COUNT IS INCLUSIVE OF FOOTNOTES BUT EXCLUSIVE OF BIBLIOGRAPHY. CHICAGO FOOTNOTE STYLE REFERENCES PLEASE I would like to briefly give reference to the Linda Nochlin essay in anyway that is connecting or contradicting Sofonisba’s life/success. Give a brief biography on Sofonisba. Focus on 3 major artworks that challenged gender for the time: 1. “The Chess Game” (1555) do detail visual analysis and comment on her depiction of her sisters playing chess, a game reserved usually for intellectual males. Compare to “Chess Players” (1540) by Giulio Campi and his depiction of women in the painting.  2. “Bernadino Campi Painting Sofonisba Anguissola” (1559) do visual analysis and comment on how this challenges gender roles and possibly challenges authority in her choice of placement of herself vs the male. (Good resource Mary. D Garrards “Here’s Looking at Me: Sofonisba and the Problem of the Woman Artist”) 3. “Self Portrait at the Easel” (1556-65) do visual analysis and continue to comment on the challenging gender roles, dissolving object-viewer relationship by placing herself in an authoritative position as the painter rather than expected object. Wrap up how her life and career challenged ideas of gender for her time.