Offering historical identity fortified by the presence of women belonging to the various areas of creative and intellectual life, this book allows readers to understand greater contexts of their identity.

The history of female artists is an indicator of how social identity was erased from the historiography which asserted itself in nineteenth-century Europe. Analysis of the biographical pathways traced here reveals how women in the Middle Ages and beyond have been active protagonists of the arts, received reviews, as well as had an authoritative role as the esteemed and attentive witnesses of the society around them.

Reconstruction of social relationships, intellectual and creative production as well as of the life stories of some of Europe's most important female artists, foregrounds this omission and highlights their extraordinary nature.

The different stories contained in this book narrate the lives and works of Hildegard von Bingen, Francesca Caccini, Mary Wollstonecraft, George Sand, Lou Andreas Salomé and Elke Mascha Blankenburg.

By reinforcing the awareness of social and historical origins, the informed reader is better equipped to tackle their futures and build up their personalities.

Autorentext
Milena Gammaitoni is a researcher in the field of General Sociology, at the University of Roma Tre, Faculty of Education. She did her PhD inTheory and Social Social Research (University La Sapienza) and a post-doctorate at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris;She is professor of sociological disciplines at the University of Roma Tre, Jagiellonian University of Krakow, Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris; her studies focus on the social condition of contemporary artists, the methodology of qualitative and complementary social research; she is author of three monographic volumes (The Social Action of the Poet, W. Szymborska in the Life of Readers in Poland and Italy; The social function of the musician, Life stories of European women artists, from the Middle Ages to the contemporary age.), and numerous essays in collective volumes and scientific journals.

Inhalt
Introduction.- Research: Hildegard Von Bingen.- Francesca Caccini.- Mary Wollstonecraft.- George Sand.- Lou Andreas Salomé.- Elke Mascha Blankenburg.- To conclude: A short story of Saint Cecilia.- Teaching and female artists in Italy.