A little-known painter in sixteenth-century Florence, Plautilla Nelli is one of the first known female Renaissance artists. In this collection of essays, internationally recognized scholars examine the life and works of Nelli, the prioress of a Dominican convent, with special attention to the artistic, social, and religious contexts. The book reproduces all Nelli's paintings and drawings in color, many for the first time, as well as presenting the restoration results of her celebrated Lamentation. This volume is an indispensable contribution to studies on Renaissance women artists and the Dominican visual culture.