Women artists were still rare, although they were less of a curiosity (in part due to the success of their predecessors), and they continued to be held back by societal restrictions and a lack of resources, often resorting to using themselves as models. But while the women of the Renaissance depicted themselves as desirable and educated, I find those associated with the Baroque to be more ‘present’ in their work, often portraying themselves as biblical heroines, and it’s this presence which seems to make them more relatable today.
