CHAPTER III.

THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.

This Century rich in great Painters.--Not poor in female Artists.--Memorable Period both in Poetry and Painting.--Fruits of the Labor of preceding Century now discernible.--Female Disciples in all the Schools of Italian Art.--Superiority of the Bolognese School.--Properzia Rossi.--Her Beauty and finished Education.--Carving on Peach-stones.--Her Sculptures.--The famous Bas-relief of Potiphar’s Wife.--Properzia’s unhappy Love.--Slander and Persecution.--Her Works and Fame.--Visit of the Pope.--Properzia’s Death.--Traditional Story.--Isabella Mazzoni a Sculptor.--A female Fresco Painter.--Sister Plautilla.--Her Works for her Convent Church.--Other Works.--Women Painters of the Roman School.--Teodora Danti.--Female Engravers.--Diana Ghisi.--Irene di Spilimberg.--Her Education in Venice.--Titian’s Portrait of her.--Tasso’s Sonnet in her Praise.--Poetical Tributes on her Death.--Her Works and Merits.--Vincenza Armani.--Marietta Tintoretto.--Her Beauty and musical Accomplishments.--Excursions in Boy’s Attire with her Father.--Her Portraits.--They become “the Rage.”--Invitation from the Emperor.--From Philip of Spain.--The Father’s Refusal.--Her Marriage and Death.--Portrait of her.--Women Artists of Northern Italy.--Barbara Longhi and others.--The Nuns of Genoa. 38