... afforded the opportunity to make themselves known. Because of this new emphasis on individualism, far more complete records exist today of artworks produced by women in sixteenth-century Europe than in any other earlier eras. The obstacles placed on aspiring female artists were far more difficult to overcome than for their male peers. Cultural beliefs about women were slow to change during the Renaissance, and many artisan guilds purposely discriminated against women. It is not surprising that the few women were able to overcome social barriers such as a lack of classical training, but nonetheless the Renaissance is responsible for producing some of the first well-known female artists. Although there is a rise in female artists such as Sofonisba Anguissola and Artemesia Gentileschi, the subject matter that they painted remained stagnant until much later in history. Most of the Renaissance paintings done by females are either display a domestic environment or ...

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