Today we are introduced to a women artist born 1532 - Cremona, Italy Died: November 16, 1625 - Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Born into the minor nobility, Sofonisba was the oldest of six daughters and one son.While members of the nobility were expected to have knowledge of the arts, it was not conventional for them to pursue the arts professionally. 

In a radical move, Amilcare arranged specialized training in painting for Anguissola and her sister Elena. They joined the household of Bernardino Campi as apprentices in 1545. Campi was a young Mannerist artist who had met Giulio Romano while working in Mantua; he had gained quick fame for his elegant compositions upon his return to Cremona.

In a radical move, Amilcare arranged specialized training in painting for Anguissola and her sister Elena. They joined the household of Bernardino Campi as apprentices in 1545. Campi was a young Mannerist artist who had met Giulio Romano while working in Mantua; he had gained quick fame for his elegant compositions upon his return to Cremona. 

Little is known about Anguissola's activities while married to Moncada, but she continued to paint and tutor others. At his death in 1579, she gifted a local church with an altarpiece.