An impressive collection of 29 essays by British, American and Italian scholars on important historical, artistic, cultural, social, legal, literary and theatrical aspects of women's contributions to the Italian Renaissance, in its broadest sense. Many contributions are the result of first-hand archival research and are illustrated with numerous unpublished or little-known reproductions or original material. The subjects include: women and the court ( Dilwyn Knox, Evelyn S Welch, Francine Daenens and Diego Zancani ); women and the church ( Gabriella Zarri, Victoria Primhak, Kate Lowe, Francesca Medioli and Ruth Chavasse ); legal constraints and ethical precepts ( Marina Graziosi, Christine Meek, Brian Richardson, Jane Bridgeman and Daniela De Bellis ); female models of comportment ( Marta Ajmarm Paola Tinagli and Sara F Matthews Grieco ); women and the stage ( Richard Andrews, Maggie Guensbergberg, Rosemary E Bancroft-Marcus ); women and letters ( Diana Robin, Virginia Cox, Pamela J Benson, Judy Rawson, Conor Fahy, Giovanni Aquilecchia, Adriana Chemello, Giovanna Rabitti and Nadia Cannata Salamone ).