A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Angusciola, Sophonisba
ANGUSCIOLA, SOPHONISBA,
Better known by the name of Sophonisba, an Italian painter of great eminence, both in portrait and historical painting, was born at Cremona in 1533, and died at Genoa in 1626. She was twice married. She was of a very distinguished family, and was first taught by Bernardino Campo of Cremona, and afterwards learned perspective and colouring from Bernardo Gatti, called Soraio. Her principal works are portraits, yet she executed several historical subjects with great spirit; the attitudes of her figures are easy, natural, and graceful. She became blind through over-application to her profession; but she enjoyed the friendship of some of the greatest characters of the day. Vandyck acknowledged himself more benefited by her than by all his other studies. Two of the principal works by this artist are the "Marriage of St. Catharine," and a portrait of herself, playing on the harpsichord, with an old female attendant in waiting.