• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
    • Awards & Honors, Pomp & Circumstance
  • Blog
    • Modern, 18th, 19th Century
    • Baroque, Rococo
    • Renaissance
    • Ancient, Roman, Medieval
    • Culture, Festivals, Music, Literature
    • Art News, Current Events
  • FaceBook
  • Pinterest
  • Italian with Melissa
    • Studentessa Matta Italian Site
    • Learn Italian at home with Melissa
    • Study in Italy with Melissa
  • Melissa’s Books
    • Melissa’s Author Website
  • Store
  • Sign Up & Connect
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
Art of Loving Italy

Art of Loving Italy

Art & Beauty are all around us.

The Secret Life of Sofonisba—the most famous woman you’ve never heard of

December 11, 2020 by Melissa Muldoon Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: Art of Loving Italy

“The Secret Life of Sofonisba—the most famous woman you’ve never heard of” is now published!

I am happy to announce my fourth novel set in Italy has been published and is now available on Amazon in Print and Epub.

artist-sofonisba-anguissola-novel-melissa-muldoon-amazon-michelangelo
Photo Credit: Art of Loving Italy

Despite these uncertain times of Covid, writing a historical novel about Sofonisba Anguissola set in the sixteenth century has been a gratifying and fulfilling experience. It provided me a much-needed outlet from modern problems, allowing me to immerse in a world of my creation and focus instead on a delightful cast of characters. When I write, sometimes up to ten hours a day, the exterior world ceases to exist—so throughout this precarious and unpredictable year, exploring Sofonisba’s life and writing this new novel has been a perfect escape!

artist-sofonisba-anguissola-novel-melissa-muldoon-amazon-michelangelo
Self-Portrait of Sofonisba Anguissola and painting instructor Bernardo Campi

Who is Sofonisba Anguissola, and why would I choose to write a novel about her? Not only is Sofonisba Anguissola an uncommon name, but it is also one that, for many years, has gone unnoticed and forgotten along with her masterful portrait paintings. But Sofonisba is important because she reached international acclaim as an influential artist during the Renaissance by her ability to dare to dream far beyond the limitations set for women during her era. She studied with Michelangelo, was praised by Vasari, became the court painter for King Philip of Spain, and taught his wife, Catherine de’ Medici’s daughter, to paint. Sofonisba didn’t marry until her mid-thirties, desiring instead to establish herself as a prominent and respected painter. As the years passed, despite her advanced age, she never surrendered her brush; she continued to travel and paint well into her eighties, always improving her skills and encouraging and inspiring other artists.

artist-sofonisba-anguissola-novel-melissa-muldoon-amazon-michelangelo
Photo Credit: Art of Loving Italy

I invite you to take a break from pandemic worries and escape to the sixteenth century with Sofonisba Anguissola—the most famous woman that NOW you have heard of!

Visit my on-line store to purchase a copy autographed by the author. You will also find links to purchase all my novels directly on Amazon.

Visit The Matta Store page to purchase an autographed copy
visit Melissa’s Author Webpage
Visit Melissa’s Amazon Author Page

Reviews for “The Secret Life of Sofonisba Anguissola”

Dianne Hales, author of La Bella Lingua  — “Through meticulous research, Melissa Muldoon spins a captivating tale of a Renaissance woman whose melodious name—Sofonisba Anguissola—should be far better known. Mentored by Michelangelo, esteemed as one of Europe’s finest portraitists, Sofonisba comes to life as a charming, intelligent, passionate and talented woman who defied the conventions of her time to follow her heart and make her living by her brush.”

Martha Bakerjian, author of Martha’s Italy  — “The Secret Life of Sofonisba Anguissola is a very enjoyable work of historic fiction, enhanced by Melissa’s expertise in art history and Italy. I’d say it’s excellent.”

Kate Braithwaite, author of Charlatan, The Road to Newgate — “Muldoon has woven a compelling and action-filled story: from Sofonisba’s upbringing in Cremona, east of Milan, to her life in Madrid as a court painter and confidente of Isabel de Valois, wife of Philip II of Spain, and beyond. This is a novel rich in description, romance, and adventure that combines detailed research with excellent characterization.”

Reader Views — “Spectacular writing, intriguing art, and history, inspirational characters – these things all combine to create a story of excellence. I was completely enthralled with Sofonisba Anguissola – it’s a story of vision, strength, and determination that history and art enthusiasts, along with romance and intrigue fans will enjoy.”

Read a Previous Matta Article about Sofonisba
Listen to A Radio Interview with Melissa About Sofonisba with Sheri Hoyt of Reader Views

Share this post

Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
Share
Email

Related Posts

Filed Under: Culture, Festivals, Music, Literature, Melissa Book News, Renaissance Tagged With: Melissa Muldoon novel Italy, novels set in Italy, Sofonisba Anguissola

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Subscribe to the Art of Loving Italy Blog

Follow along on Instagram @studentessamatta

Driving through the Maremma wending my way back to Driving through the Maremma wending my way back to Roma!
Grazie Antonio @notapioneer per una serata fantast Grazie Antonio @notapioneer per una serata fantastica a Vistamare ti auguro un futuro pieno della fortuna! 💙💛 #portasantospirito💙💛 lol ci sentiamo. Alla prossimo !
Love this place! Dinner with a spectacular view!!! Love this place! Dinner with a spectacular view!!! Vista Mare! Situazione attuale mi piace!!! 👍
Al ristorante VistaMare ! Che vista!!!! @vistamare Al ristorante VistaMare ! Che vista!!!! @vistamare
The Matta Book Club returns this fall with a new n The Matta Book Club returns this fall with a new novel!! 

More details and the big reveal of the title and the author and details how to sign up for the book club will come next week in a post on the StudentessaMatta.com website... so stay tuned. 

Currently, I'm still in Italy wrapping up a very successful language program in Arezzo! We had a wonderful time!

Now I'm at the beach and currently finishing up the next book club read! LOL

What I can tell you about the novel is that it is a contemporary adventure/murder mystery set in Italy, that takes you from Monte Carlo to London and to France where two thieves board the Orient Express to Venice as they track down Casanova's diary. 

Next week you will have the chance to sign up for group book club meetings of up to 3 or 4 readers, or individual sessions. The novel is available in print and audio and it is my recommendation, with plenty of lead time to read the novel during the summer months prior to the October start date, so that we can really dive into the story, and plot, and work on grammar and idioms.

Stay tuned! State sintonizzati! A presto!
This guy has all his ducks in a row! Al mare in Ca This guy has all his ducks in a row! Al mare in Castiglione della Pescaia
Buongiorno principessa! Siamo pronti per il mare! Buongiorno principessa! Siamo pronti per il mare! 😃

Melissa Muldoon © 2022 Built with and Genesis Framework by Bellano Web Studio

 

Loading Comments...