Sofonisba’s Lesson: A Renaissance Artist and Her Work

While the concept of the “Renaissance man” did not openly embrace female artists and scholars, some women of the era stepped up and defied expectations. In Sofonisba’s Lesson: A Renaissance Artist and Her Work (Princeton University Press), Michael W. Cole *99 tells the story of Sofonisba, daughter of a Lombard aristocrat who trained as a painter and taught a queen of Spain. Through her work, Cole analyzes the themes of women’s empowerment and education.