This remarkable book profiles some 550 painters, sculptors, photographers, and women in all areas of the arts. Each illustrated entry includes a biography of the artist, a bibliography and a signed interpretive essay by one of 300 contributors from 20 countries. Essays concentrate on the artist's work, discussing specific pieces that exemplify the artist's style and activity while placing her work in an historical context. Introductory surveys focus on training and the changing conditions for women artists since the Middle Ages.