New Ground presented for Progress.--Greater Diversity of Style.--Naturalism.--The Caracci instrumental in giving to Painting the Impetus of Reform.--Their Academy.--One opened by a Milanese Lady.--The learned Poetess and her hundredth Birthday.--Female Painters and Engravers.--Lavinia Fontana.--The hasty Judgment.--Lavinia a Pupil of Caracci.--Character of her Pictures.--Honors paid to her.--Courted by Royalty.--Her Beauty and Suitors.--A romantic Lover.--Lavinia’s Paintings.--Close of the Period of the Christian Ideal in Art.--Lavinia’s _Chef-d’Œuvre_.--Her Children.--Professional Honors.--Her Death.--Female Disciples of the Caracci School.--Pupils of Domenichino, Lanfranco, and Guido Reni.--The churlish Guercino a Despiser of Women.--The Cardinal’s Niece and Heiress.--Her great Paintings.--Founds a Cloister.--Artemisia Gentileschi, a Pupil of Guido.--Her Portraits.--Visit to England.--Favor with Charles I.--Luxurious Abode in Naples.--Her Correspondence.--Judgment of her Pictures.--Elisabetta Sirani.--Her artistic Character.--Her household Life.--Industry and Modesty.--Her Virtues and Graces.--Envious Artists.--Defeat of Calumny.--Her mysterious Fate.--Conjectures respecting it.--Funeral Obsequies.--Her principal Works.--Her Influence on female Artists.--Her Pupils.--Other Women Artists of Bologna. In the seventeenth century the elements of disturbance had in part subsided, and new ground was presented for the progress of human intellect. A certain uniformity in art, which was the consequence of a close academical imitation of the old masters, gave place to a greater diversity of style, and, in some instances, to a vigorous and somewhat rude naturalism. The Naturalisti were so called on account of their predilection for the direct imitation of the common forms and aspects of nature. Passion was their inspiration, and their imitation was too often carried to excess, presenting what might be termed the poetry of the repulsive. A new spirit of inquiry and a feeling of self-reliance had entered the popular mind that did not fail to influence the progress both of literature and art. The masters who were most strikingly instrumental in giving to painting the impetus of reform were Ludovico, Augustin, and Annibal Caracci. Amid many difficulties they opened an academy in their native city, Bologna, where art was taught on the principles then esteemed essential. In its theoretical and practical departments a goodly number of students were there permitted to profit by the works of the early masters. The good example was soon followed, and we hear of a Milanese lady opening her house for an academy.