Gender, Artistic Agency and Renaissance Culture: A Teaching Proposal Based on the Works of Sofonisba Anguissola, Lavinia Fontana, and Properzia de’ Rossi

Abstract: The inclusion of women artists in art history curricula has significantly transformed the study of Renaissance culture and contributed to a more inclusive understanding of artistic production. While traditional narratives of the Italian Renaissance focused almost exclusively on male masters, recent scholarship has demonstrated that women actively participated in artistic and intellectual life despite considerable social and institutional restrictions. This article proposes a pedagogical framework for higher education courses in art history, cultural studies, heritage education, and gender studies through the examination of three Renaissance women artists: Sofonisba Anguissola, Lavinia Fontana, and Properzia de’ Rossi. Drawing on feminist art history, gender theory, and visual literacy approaches, the article develops a series of classroom activities centered on three representative works: The Chess Game (1555) by Sofonisba Anguissola, Self-Portrait at the Spinet (1577) by Lavinia Fontana, and Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife (c. 1520–1525) by Properzia de’ Rossi. The proposed activities encourage students to explore the relationship between artistic production and gender, analyze the social construction of artistic authority, and understand how women negotiated professional identities within a patriarchal cultural system. Through visual analysis, collaborative inquiry, contextual research, and reflective discussion, students develop critical awareness of the historical conditions that shaped women’s artistic careers and of the continuing relevance of gender issues within contemporary cultural institutions.