Lavinia fontana biography

Lavinia Fontana (24 August – 11 August ) was an Italian Mannerist painter active in Bologna and Rome. She is best known for her successful portraiture, but also worked in the genres of mythology and religious painting. She was trained by her father, Prospero Fontana. Lavinia Fontana (born , Bologna [Italy]—died Aug, Rome) was an Italian painter of the Mannerist school and one of the most important portraitists in Bologna during the late 16th century. She was one of the first women to execute large, publicly commissioned figure paintings. Early years First steps Professional growth Public recognition Peak period Later years Public interest Professional activity Media attention
Fontana is thought to be the first female artist to paint nudes, and quite possibly the first female artist to bypass strict social conventions for women by using live nude models.