No. 02Renaissance
RenaissanceSofonisba Anguissola
c. 1532 – 1625 · Italy
Painted her sisters mid-game and ended up at the Spanish court.
All artistsRenaissance
RenaissanceThe Chess Game, 1555. Sofonisba Anguissola. Public domain · Source: Wikimedia Commons
Painting
Sofonisba Anguissola
c. 1532 – 1625 · Italy
Born in Cremona into a family that educated all its daughters, she became famous for lively portraits. She later served at the court of Philip II of Spain as painter and lady-in-waiting.
Know more on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Fact file
- Born
- c. 1532
- Died
- 1625
- Country
- Italy
- Era
- Renaissance
- Style
- Renaissance
- Disciplines
- Painting
- Key work
- The Chess Game (1555)
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Where to see it
- National Museum in Poznań, Poland
Curiosity!
DocumentedWhen she was in her nineties, the young painter Anthony van Dyck visited her in Palermo and sketched her in his notebook.
What we know (and what we don’t)
- Not certain
Her exact year of birth is not certain; sources place it between 1532 and 1535.
- Documented
She served Queen Elisabeth of Valois at the Spanish court from 1559.
Where to see her
On view right now
- On nowGroup show
W̶o̶m̶a̶n̶ Painter
Nasjonalmuseet · Oslo, Norway
8 Oct 2026 – 7 Feb 2027
Official page for W̶o̶m̶a̶n̶ Painter (opens in a new tab)
Museums that own her work
- Museo Nacional del PradoMadrid, Spain(opens in a new tab)
- Kunsthistorisches MuseumVienna, Austria(opens in a new tab)
Owning isn’t always showing: works rotate, go into storage or travel on loan — check before you go.
Hunting for a show we missed?
Exhibition list last checked 25 Oct 2026.