I was at the Artemisia exhibit this morning and it’s fab, but would have been so great to have shown her as part of 16th/17th century feminism rather than a lone heroic figure. Presenting oppressed individuals as heroic exceptions was (is?) a way of maintaining the status quo.

For those of you who don’t know this wonderful stuff, google Moderata Fonte, Lucrezia Marinella, Arcangela Tarabotti, Lavinia Fontana, Sofonisba Anguissola, Giovanna Garzoni, and check out “The Other Voice” series of translations.

Feminism has a really long history that is fascinating, complex and inspiring and that goes back at least to the early 15th century.