Chapter 1
Breaking the mold in Cremona
Chapter 2
The chess game and psychological realism
Chapter 3
Secrets of the Spanish court
Chapter 4
The legend of Palermo
YOUR GOAL
Master of The paintbrush that broke the rules of the Renaissance
Ch 2 · The chess game and psychological realism
andy In The Chess Game and her self-portraits, Sofonisba Anguissola defied expectations of modest downward looks by painting subjects
Fun Fact
Feminist chess: In the 1500s, chess was considered a masculine war game, making Sofonisba's painting of her sisters playing it a bold political statement.
Glossary
psychological realism (noun)
An artistic or literary style focusing on the highly accurate portrayal of characters' internal thoughts, feelings, and emotional states. In 1555, Anguissola captured her sisters' lively, candid interactions around a chessboard using this expressive technique.
An artistic or literary style focusing on the highly accurate portrayal of characters' internal thoughts, feelings, and emotional states. In 1555, Anguissola captured her sisters' lively, candid interactions around a chessboard using this expressive technique.
Quiz
Which three of Sofonisba Anguissola's sisters are depicted playing chess in her famous 1555 painting?
Quiz
How did Sofonisba Anguissola break the traditional rules of formal Renaissance portraiture?
Quiz
Why was Sofonisba Anguissola's painting 'The Chess Game' considered highly unusual and bold for the Renaissance?
Quiz
Which of Sofonisba Anguissola's masterpieces from 1555 depicts three of her sisters playing a strategic board game?
Quiz
What visual technique did Sofonisba Anguissola use in her portraits to assert her subjects' intellectual equality?
Quiz
What was a major obstacle that female artists like Sofonisba Anguissola faced during the Renaissance?
Quiz
In her 1556 painting 'Self-Portrait at the Easel', what is Sofonisba Anguissola depicted painting?