Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art: The Dinner Party: Heritage Floor: Paula

Born into a noble Roman family, Paula met Saint Jerome, a Christian leader who translated the Bible into Latin, after which she studied with him and followed his teachings, along with her daughter, Eustochium. They practiced asceticism and traveled widely, ultimately settling with Jerome in Bethlehem, where they built a monastic community. Paula supervised the nunneries until her death in 404. Almost all of the knowledge we have of her comes from the letters of Jerome, which include information not only about Paula but also the rest of her family.