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It will contain a discussion on the life and works of three of the most prominent women painters at that time in art history, Sofonisba Anguissola, Artemisia Gentileschi and Lavinia Fontana. We will be looking at their paintings in detail, but as well as the detail of their life, we will discuss the particular problems these women faced. First, how did they train, second, how did they sell their wares and manage the money, thirdly how did they manage their reputations, both personal and professional? Without these reputations the rest is dust.

We shall also look at how they managed to become a painter against these social expectations, particularly looking at their own social background and the effects this enabled in their progress.

We shall look at the paintings exactly as we would similar subjects painted by men, will we see a difference in expression, performance or subject matter?

You must look at their work with a critical eye and decide how much is talent and how much is social expectations of the times they lived in.