Catherine de Vigri (1413-1463), more commonly known as St. Catherine of Bologna, is the patron saint of painters. She was abbotess of a strict convent of Poor Clares in Bologna, and was known for living an austere religious life and having visions of Mary. During her time as abbotess, she was a prolific illustrator of religious scenes, many of which were illuminated. She also devoted time to larger paintings of Jesus, Mary and the saints, and wrote several devotional works as well.
Sofonisba Anguissola (1532-1625) studied under Bernardo Campi due to her father's belief that a woman's higher education should include the arts. Under Campi's tutelage, she created a number of self-portraits and representations of the Virgin Mary. Her paintings reflect Anguissola's chastity and religious devotion. She became a member of the Spanish court and, as the queen's art tutor, she was one of the most famous painters among Spanish nobility. Despite her notoriety, Anguissola's painting was not a means for generating income; in fact, she never sold a painting.
Lavinia Fontana (1552-1614), daughter of artist Prospero Fontana, is hailed as the first female professional artist because art was her career. She was especially known for her work in the field of portraiture, although she generated creative works as well. Among noblewomen in her home of Bologna, Fontana was the popular choice for portraits. She later began to create large altarpieces, which gained her notice from the Vatican. In 1604, she moved to Rome in order to be a portraitist in Pope Paul V's court.
Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1692) originally learned the art of painting from her father, Orazio Gentileschi, although she was greatly influenced by other artists, such as Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. Her paintings, of which only 34 survive, demonstrate an original vision of traditional subjects and an exceptional attention to the contrast between light and shadow. She was a member of the Academy of Design, a prodigious honor. Later, she produced paintings for the Medici family in Florence, but she eventually joined the court of King Charles I of England. "Susanna and the Elders" and "Judith Slaying Holofernes" are among her most well-known works.