Elisabetta Catanea Parasole (1565 – ca. 1625): A Pioneer of Female Portraiture Elisabetta Catanea Parasole, born around 1570 in Rome and tragically deceased circa 1625, stands as a remarkable figure within the artistic landscape of the Italian Renaissance and Baroque periods. Despite facing considerable challenges inherent to her gender during this era—where women’s roles were largely confined to domestic spheres—Parasole defied convention and established herself as one of the foremost engravers and woodcutters specializing in portraiture, leaving behind an oeuvre that continues to fascinate…