Journal of Sofonisba Anguissola Essay example - 1150 Words

Journal of Sofonisba Anguissola From the Journal of Sofonisba Anguissola: June 1, 1581 I have painted many self-portraits in my life, but the one that sticks out the most to me is the one in which I painted myself holding a book. I was born in a time, when women typically were not encouraged to obtain an education. My family, however, went against the grain, and actively supported my sisters and I in our education. Even today, as I write this, my society celebrates women for our â€Å"virtue and beauty,† (Niyazi, 2011) with our sole purpose being solely the â€Å"ambition to marry and bear children† (Niyazi, 2011). Nowadays, women in Italy are â€Å"consigned to sit in their palazzos and pursue needle work† (Burke, 1995) when not occupied with†¦show more content†¦I avoided these â€Å"female signifiers† (Niyazi, 2011) so that the audience would not connect my image with beauty, which is something that is traditionally connected to women in my society. I created this image to look masculine in order to show that I am mature, indepen dent, and self-possessed (Niyazi, 2011). Even the background behind me has nothing that would detract from this; the background is a rich green color that only makes my figure stand out to the viewer. I can only hope that the women that have looked at this portrait of me are inspired to pursue their goals and dreams, no matter how foolish they may seem to be by society. I have been fortunate enough to be allowed to break away from my expected norms and go after the arts. I hear that I am the â€Å"first known woman artists to achieve international fame,† (Clara, 2012) which means that my efforts and my talents have not gone in vain. It is my humble wish that decades from now, women can look at this painting and see that their efforts to be more equal to men are worth and so important. Amongst the paintings that I have created, there are several others that I think are an important contribution to the study of art. The first one is The Family Group, which I painted in 1558. In this painting, the central figures are my father, Amilcare, my sister Minerva, and my only brother, Asrudbale. In the painting, my fathers attention is focused on my brother, while my sister stands behind them. This painting representsShow MoreRelatedArt History Study Guide3003 Words   |  13 PagesMeadow; Galatea; Alba Madonna; Pope Leo with Nephews; Baldassare Castiglione * Titian –Assumption of the Virgin; Pesaro Madonna, Venice; Venus of Urbino; Isabella d’Este; Portrait of a Man * Mannerism (1520-1560) * Anguissola, Sofonisba –Artist’s Sisters and Brothers * Bologna –Abduction of the Sabine Woman; Astronomy * Bronzino –Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time (aka Exposure of Luxury); Portrait of a Young Man * Cellini –Saltcellar of Francis I;