Sofonisba Anguissola - Late Years

Late Years

Lomellino's fortune, plus a generous pension from Philip II, allowed Anguissola to paint freely and live comfortably. By now quite famous, Anguissola received many colleagues who came to visit and discuss the arts with her. Several of these were younger artists, eager to learn and mimic Anguissola's distinctive style.

In 1624, Anguissola was visited by the Flemish painter Sir Anthony van Dyck, who recorded sketches from his visit to her in his sketchbook. Van Dyck noted that although "her eyesight was weakened", Anguissola was still mentally alert at 92. Excerpts of the advice she gave him about painting survive from this visit. Van Dyck drew her portrait while visiting her. This last portrait made of Anguissola survives in the Sackville Collection at Knole House. The next year, she returned to Sicily.

In her later life, Anguissola painted not only portraits, but religious themes, as she had done in the days of her youth. Unfortunately, many of her religious paintings have been lost. She was the leading portrait painter in Genoa until she moved to Palermo in her last years. In 1620, she painted her last self-portrait.

Contrary to later biographers' claims, she was never entirely blind, but perhaps suffered from cataracts. Anguissola became a wealthy patron of the arts after the weakening of her sight. In 1625, she died at age ninety-three in Palermo.

Seven years later, on the anniversary of what would have been her 100th birthday, her husband placed an inscription on her tomb that read in part:

To Sofonisba, my wife, who is recorded among the illustrious women of the world, outstanding in portraying the images of man. Orazio Lomellino, in sorrow for the loss of his great love, in 1632, dedicated this little tribute to such a great woman. —Orazio Lomellino, Inscription on Sofonisba's tomb.