The cover of this issue depicts Princess Caterina Micaela, Duchess of Savoy (1567-97). The daughter of Philip II of Spain and Elizabeth of Valois, the princess is portrayed by one of the few female artists of the period who gained international popularity, Sofonisba Anguissola (1527-1625).
Born in Cremona, she was a pupil of Bernardino Campi and spent most of her life in her native city. Philip II summoned her as a result of her growing fame as an artist. Her self-portraits and portraits of her family are considered her best works.
As she was a woman, neither the artist nor her sisters, who were also artists, were allowed to study anatomy or draw from reality. For this reason the majority of their paintings are portraits of themselves and the people around them.
