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Elizabeth A.Sackler Center for Feminist Art

Renier Michiel

b. 1755, Venice; d. 1832, Venice

Born into an aristocratic Venetian family, Giustina Renier Michiel separated from her husband in 1784, thus gaining the freedom to cultivate her intellectual gifts and lead an active social life. She hosted a popular salon attended by prominent literati and pursued her own studies in both literature and botany. Her translations of Shakespeare were published in 1797. Her best known work is a patriotic homage to the Republic of Venice, Origine della feste veneziane (1817–27).