She was so prodigious an artist
that by the time of her death at 27, she had completed approximately 170 paintings, 14 etchings, and a number of drawings.

In 17th century Bologna, which boasted such well known women artists as Properzia de' Rossi and Lavinia Fontana, Elisabetta Sirani was considered a virtuoso.

Several stories attest to Sirani's rapid working methods, such as when the Grand Duke Cosimo III de Medici visited her studio in 1664. After he watched her work on a portrait of his uncle Prince Leopold, Cosimo ordered a Madonna for himself, which Sirani allegedly executed quickly so that it could dry and be taken home with him.

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Gertrude Stein
1874-1946
American Author




A student of psychology and medicine at John Hopkins University, Gertrude Stein settled in Paris (1903), where she influenced every well-known American writer who worked there during the 1920's, including Hemingway.

She also befriended Picasso and Matisse long before they become famous. Of her own works the best-known is 'Three Lives' (1908).

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Harriet Beecher Stowe
1811-96
American Novelist



Born in Conneticut, married to Reverend Calvin Ellis Stowe, Harriet had many pregnancies and seven surviving children.

In 1850 the Stowes moved to Maine, where her horror at the passing of the Fugitive Slave Law prompted her to write 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'.
Its powerful emotional plot caught the American imagination and conscience and 3 million copies were sold before the Civil War.

After that she produced 11 more works of fiction and 23 assorted books including the "American Women's Home', 'Our Famous Women' and 'Lady Byron Vindicated' in defence of Noel Byron whom she met during a trip to England.

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Marie Elisabeth Vigee
1755-1842
French Painter




Marie Elisabeth Vigee was born in Paris where she became a portrait artist in early life.

In 1775 she married the rich art dealer J.B.P. Lebrun, and achieved fame with portraits of courtiers including Marie Antoinette. During the French Revolution she fled to Italy, achieving great success with portraits of the royal family.

She then moved to Vienna and Petersburg and later visited England and Switzerland painting portraits of Lord Byron and Madame de Stael.

Returning to Paris she completed her life's work that included over 900 paintings, all of high standard.

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Mary Wollstonecraft
1759-97
English Writer




Mary Wollstonecraft is considered to be the foremother of the European and American women's rights movements.

She lived during the Enlightenment, when progressive thinkers believed that men were born with certain natural rights. Yet many did not believe that women should share in those rights.

Mary Wollstonecraft challenged this thinking and maintained that women could be equal to men given the same opportunities. In 1787 she published 'Thoughts on the Education of Daughters' and in 1792 'Vindication of the Rights of Women'.

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