This richly diverse exploration of female artists and self-portraits is a brilliant and poignant demonstration of originality in the works of haunting variety. Among the earliest self-portraits are those in medieval illuminated manuscripts, from whose pages nuns gaze at us across the centuries. In 16th-century Italy, Sofonisba Anguissola paints one of the longest series of self-portraits, spanning adolescence to old age. In the 17th-century Holland Judith Leyster shows herself at the easel as relaxed, self-assured professional. In the 18th Century, artists from Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun to Angelica Kauffman express both passion for their craft and the idea of femininity; and in the 19th the salons and art schools are last open their doores to a host of talented women artists, including Berthe Morisot, ushering in a new and resonant self-confidence. The modern period demolishes taboos: Alice Neel painting herself nude at eighty; Frida Kahlo rendering physical pain; Cindy Sherman exploring identity; Marlene Dumas dispensing with all boundaries.

The full verve of Frances Borzello's enthralling text and the hypnotic intensity of the accompanying self-portraits is revealed to the full in this completely revised edition of this inspiring book.

With 200 illustrations.