Great artists converse with our hearts without uttering a word. They animate the greatest and most tragic moments in life, from battlefields that appear gut-wrenchingly real to divine jubilations that make our souls sing. But seldom do we celebrate the way these artists lived in the world: how they overcame challenges, how they stayed true to their values, or how they treated their fellow man. Yet these stories are as inspiring as the artworks these artists made.
Italian Sister Plautilla Nelli (1524–1588) persevered against the odds to become a sought-after devotional painter. She created her paintings in the confines of a convent workshop, which meant that she was limited in her artistic experiences.
