MINI-COURSE - Old Mistresses: Sofonisba, Lavinia and Artemisia

They redefined women’s roles in art, producing renowned works in portraiture, mythology and religious themes.

Old Mistresses: Sofonisba, Lavinia and Artemisia

Renaissance theory insisted that genius was male. For centuries, this belief shaped the very way the history of art has been written — as a story of ‘Old Masters’.

But women were part of this story too.

Across three evenings, Old Mistresses explores the lives and work of Sofonisba Anguissola, Lavinia Fontana and Artemisia Gentileschi: three pioneering Italian artists who overcame gender restrictions to achieve significant international success during the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

They redefined women’s roles in art, producing renowned works in portraiture, mythology and religious themes. In doing so, they challenged the assumption that women lacked creative capacity, paving the way for future generations of women in art.