This video and article are part of the Female Artist biographical film project described here.
Summary: Lavinia Fontana was born into an artistic and middle class family in Bologna in 1552. Her talent and promise as …

The Funerary Procession of Elisabetta Sirani
Summary: Elisabetta Sirani was a 16th century female painter from Bologna. She exceeded the expectations for her sex by painting scenes atypical for a female artist. Unfortunately, not much is …

Sofonisba Anguissola: More than a Woman
Summary: Sofonisba Anguissola (1532-1625) surpassed the expectations of women during the Italian Renaissance. She was well educated and trained under the tutelage of Bernardino Campi from 1545 to 1549 and …

The past decade has seen a spate of art historical fiction set in Italy, some of it well researched, some juicy, some pretty awful. Here is the shortlist of ten readable books set in Italy, with …

The following is a list of useful vocabulary terms (and definitions!) for students and lovers of Italian Renaissance art. If you are a professor and find this useful to distribute to your class, credit (or a link) …

Colleen, a moderator on the travel resource Slowtrav has written an excellent and amusing article about saints in art. As she writes: “When you’re wandering through churches or museums, do you ever wonder why that sad-eyed …

This list of guide books is intended as a starting point to help you plan your trip to Florence and environs (along with reading this website). These will help you decide what interests you, so …

While you’re in Florence (or in any other Italian city, for that matter) you’re going to see a lot of frescoes (a special technique of wall painting). Have you ever wondered how they were made, …

Birth of “venus”?

Winning the “what the heck is that” prize in the ”Horrible modern references to Renaissance art” category… this really awful photomontage on canvas on display on a street in Orvieto.
The “artist” has truly NOT …

These have been anonymously contributed to arttrav and compiled by yours truly.
Shrew Businessmen and Compliant Women: the gender roles of happy contigues in renaissance art.
Way back in the Renaissance, things were different for women, but not …

The History of Renaissance Art, Student Style*
*for privacy purposes, of course this is totally anonymous…
PAINTING
The history of Renaissance art starts with Giotto.
Giotto’s figures all look different, unlike in Cimabue and Duccio, whose angels look like Oompa …