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The Creation of Eve

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There is little reading more intriguing than well done historical fiction. Lynn Cullen raises this genre to new heights with her intriguing, richly visualized THE CREATION OF EVE. Based on the life of the first woman painter to achieve any degree of recognition during the Renaissance, Sofonisba Anguissola, the author transports us to the 16th century courts of Spain and France, each alive with rankling jealousies, harbored dreams, and clever machinations.

As a child of 7 Sofonisba was inspired by a picture of the Madonna and Child in a local church. Borrowing her printer father's quill and paper she drew her own picture. He was so impressed by her talent that he ignored the disdainful laughter of their Cremona neighbors, "A girl taking up a man's craft, and such a dirty one at that. Who is going to marry her now?" In time he chose some of her work and sent it to the Maestro, Michelangelo, who invited her to come to Rome to study. An impossibility for a girl in that day and time, yet it happened to Sofonisba who would become a portraitist because women were not allowed o study "from the nude or from the dissection of a cadaver."

At Michelangelo's studio she met and fell in love with a young sculptor, Tiberio Calcagni. There is a brief moment of coupling, which Sofi fears might ruin not only herself but Tiberio and bring shame to her beloved father. So, when she is invited by the mightiest of rulers, King Philip II of Spain, to teach his 13-year-old wife, Queen Elisabeth, painting and serve as her lady-in-waiting Sofi does not hesitate.

Yet, she is ill prepared for what she finds in the grand palaces of Toledo, Madrid, and Segovia - the animus of the King's sister and a fault-finding condessa who would like nothing better than to see the Queen lose favor. Elisabeth, the daughter of King Henri II of France and Catherine de Medici, is a beauty but rash, and at her then tender age unable to bear children for the King. Philip, a widower and much older than his Queen, wants her total devotion. Add to this mix Don Juan, the king's handsome younger brother, and Don Carlos, his frail, mentally deficient son, both of whom covet Elisabeth.

Thus, while strife abounds at court there are tensions without - in Rome Michelangelo is being investigated by the Inquisition of the Catholic Church for the supposed immorality of his paintings in the Sistine Chapel and his rumored homosexuality. (The Grand Inquisitor's punishments are horrific). Plus, the Protestant Reformation is feared by both Philip and Catherine of France who seeks to wed another daughter to Don Carlos in hopes of even stronger ties between their two countries.

In the midst of all of this Sofi longs for word from Tiberio, attempts to ameliorate the King's sister and the condessa, and keep an ever watchful eye on Elizabeth whom she fears may act impetuously.

With THE CREATION OF EVE Cullen has used history and prodigious research to craft an unforgettable epic, totally absorbing, richly atmospheric. She sensitively portrays the status of women at that time, realistically paints the staggering wealth enjoyed by some as opposed to the deprivation of many, while telling a fascinating story. Somehow Cullen allows us to move in the same circles as Sofi, enjoying feast days , moving among the greats of the art world - Michelangelo, DaVinci, trembling at the thought of the Inquisition, and seeing the onset of the Reformation. An unforgettable pleasure!

- Gail Cooke

Sofonisba Anguissola was one of the foremost female artists of the Renaissance. Born in a small town in Italy, she studied in Rome under Michelangelo, and became a lady in waiting and art teacher to Elizabeth of Valois who became Queen of Spain when she married King Filipe. While there, Sofonisba witnesses the budding relationship between Elizabeth and the King's young half brother, Don Juan.

If you're looking for a story that's solely about Sofonisba you might be a bit disappointed. She's more of a witness to what's going on around her, rather an active participant in the story. Although Sofinisba led an interesting life herself, it's Elizabeth, Felipe, and the Spanish court that take the stage here, and it's an excellent story, well told. Like another reader here, I was very surprised by, and interested in, the author's treatment of Felipe. I guess I, too, am too use to England-based novels set during this time period, which depict him as a cruel monster. Elizabeth is rather silly, naïve, and pathetic in the way that she behaves, but that doesn't stop the reader from ultimately feeling sympathetic towards her. In the end, the reader realizes that Sofi and Elizabeth are very similar; they're both trapped in positions they didn't choose to be in, unable to make their own decisions about their lives.

I also loved the heavy amount of historical details that are in this book. The author obviously did a lot of research to get her story to feel authentic, and her hard work has paid off here. Everything is described in minute detail, without those details bogging down the natural flow of the story. The author's writing style reminds me a lot of that of Sarah Dunant--both in tone and content.

Cullen introduces us to Sofonisba Anguissola, the first well known woman artist of the Renaissance. In this fictional account, we follow Sofonisba from her studies with Michelangelo to the Spanish Court where she becomes a lady-in-waiting and an art teacher.

Even though she leaves Michaelangelo after a dalliance, that may or may not have been sexual, with another student, Sofonisba doesn't learn from the consequences of that act when she moves on to the Spanish Court. Instead, she joins in the young Queen's escapades. Considering how she had suffered over her dalliance in Italy, it seems incongruous that she would jeopardize her position at the Spanish Court. Even so, she becomes famous for her portraits.

Cullen's research seems to have been thorough. Cullen seamlessly works her historical details into her fiction.

This book is a good read. Anyone who enjoys historical fiction will undoubtedly find this an enjoyable read.

The book didn't stray too far away from the facts of history; and the dramatic license the author took for conversations, etc., seemed plausible & fit the epoch & circumstances. She writes Felipe II carefully, as she does his young wife, Elizabeth of Valois. Not giving us an open door to their hearts/minds, but a window. Mostly they are seen from the eyes of the book's central character, Sofonisba Anguisolla; and their stories unfold and are told through her. Sofonisba is a talented Italian portrait artist, sent to the Spanish court after a "faux pas" let's say, with a fellow artist. She relates her experiences at the Spanish court as both a Lady in Waiting to the young Queen (and friend) and as a frustrated artist (not really allowed to sign her own work, as it would be unseemly in her position as Lady in Waiting), as well as a woman confused herself about love & marriage.

There are several plot lines; the marriage (and happiness, unhappiness, treachery or adultry?) between Felipe & Elizabeth; Elizabeth's attempts to adjust to a stultified court life, Michaelangelo & The Inquisition, even a little about Felipe's interest in the new world of America and it's products.

The cool thing is; recently I visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, MA. I had just finished reading this book and as I viewed the impressive collection of art Mrs. Gardner acquired in her lifetime - what do I see on the wall? A painting of Juana of Austria (Felipe II's sister) attributed to Sofonisba Aguisolla! The information card that went with the portrait explained that most of Anguisolla's portraits were unattributed, but art scholars have recently identified many - including the one hanging at the Gardner Museum. What struck me was that in the book, Sofonisba tells us that she wanted to bring out the soul of her subject as she painted them, and Juana of Austria is portrayed as someone Sofonisba did not like and somewhat feared. This made studying the painting all the more fun - and I do say, Juana's face looked a bit self-satisfied and snippy.

Sofonisba Anguissola was one of the first major female painters of the Renaissance, so highly regarded by her peers that Giorgio Vasari included her in his famous biographies. Another of his subjects, Michelangelo, was a teacher of Sofonisba, and it is in his workshop that The Creation of Eve begins. After Sofonisba is caught in a compromising position with one of Michelangelo's apprentices, she flees Italy and ends up at the Spanish court of King Felipe II, recruited to teach painting to the King's new bride, Elizabeth. The artist must keep one wary eye on her new mistress, who risks the King's wrath as she flirts with his half-brother Don Juan, and the other eye on her own past, as the Inquisition investigates the great Michelangelo for heresy and the crime of sodomy.

As an artist, I found Sofonisba a fascinating character. She wants to become a true master of painting, and throughout the book her techniques are described in detail. As I read I learned about making paint, positioning subjects and composition, how a brush's texture can influence the painting, and many of the new ideas artists were trying during this revolutionary period in the arts. Unfortunately, Sofonisba cannot overcome the mores of her time. She is forced to restrict her paintings to portraits because it is considered unseemly for a woman to study anatomy, and she never learns how to paint the human body accurately.

Michelangelo is a background character for the most part; we hear about him through the gossip of courtiers and a few letters sent to Sofonisba from friends and family. But this is his story, too. Everyone in Italy and Spain is aware of the great artist, and wants to know more about him, so stories and rumors about him surface again and again.

For fans of romantic intrigue, there's plenty of that too. King Felipe is portrayed sympathetically, as a man genuinely devoted to his new wife, but with a cruel, ruthless streak. Queen Elizabeth is lusty but frail, and though she seems fond of her husband she's a girl half his age, and spends more time with his son Carlos and half-brother Juan than would be wise.

Historical fiction fans will enjoy this book a great deal. I know I did! I think it would especially appeal to those who enjoyed Tracy Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring and fans of Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl.

If you're interested in art history, political history, or just good story telling, you'll love The Creation of Eve. Lynn Cullen has drawn a richly detailed and amazingly accurate backdrop for the engrossing tale of Sofonisba Anguissola and Queen Elizabeth of Valois. When the French Queen Catherine Medici bartered her daughter to the thirty-three year old King Felipe II of Spain, in order to forge a tentative alliance, the Spanish monarchy was at the height of its power, the seeds of the Protestant Reformation were sprouting across Europe, the Catholic Church and the Empire were raging to pull up by the roots any growing heretics, and Elizabeth was thirteen years old, weak, naive, and frail. When Sofonisba, the first and foremost female artist of the Italian Rennaissance, was summoned to teach Elizabeth to paint, she was twenty-seven, had just completed a course of study under Michaelangelo, had been deflowered by another of the master's students, and lived in fear that she and her family would thereby be undone. Cullen brings the two together, adds three young royals and a globetrotting doctor into the mix, and takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of life in the sixteenth century. The Creation of Eve is comparable to Follett's World Without End in its meticulous research and colorful writing but, where World backs and fills to link disparate joints of a story, Eve is seamless and crisp, each episode building cleanly toward a magnificent climax. Anyone who likes to learn and be entertained at the same time should read this book.

As an avid reader of historical novels, as well as having a degree in History, I understand how incredible the story of Sofonisba Anguissola was. I think her life story was not only shockingly unusual but also highly entertaining. However, Cullen's telling of her story was just too detailed, causing the story to drag on and on, with no end in sight. I got the distinct feeling that the author was trying to emulate the style of Philippa Gregory, but somehow wasn't able to pull off Gregory's same scandalous sparkle. Instead of being chocked full of charm, this novel was just stuffed with rambling. The sheer volume of this novel sucked the enjoyment from reading what would have been an otherwise compelling story. Sometimes too much of a good thing really can be a bad thing.

Sofonisba Anguissola was that rarity in the Renaissance - a female painter who had studied with Michaelangelo. Many of her paintings survive today - her portraits are exceptional. Though she lived to age 93, this novel covers the few years in her life that she was a lady-in-waiting in the Spanish court of Philip II. During this period "Sofi" gets caught in the middle of a turbulent relationship between the young Queen Elisabeth and the King's brother Juan. Mostly poor Sofi just wants to paint, but her opportunities are limited by the stifling environment of the court. Author Lynn Cullen lacks the you-are-there descriptive powers of Karleen Koen (Dark Angels, Before Versailles) and her chapters are long on dialogue, much of it on the mundane side. Still, her portrayal of the perils of the Spanish court at the time of the Inquisition is excellent. And the book made me want to learn more about Sofonisba Anguissola.

I often judge a book by whether or not I crave to be curled up and be reading it or if it is strictly something that just passes time. This book called to me and I was saddened to finish it. I appreciated the "Author's notes" where Ms. Cullen explained the historical background that was the basis of her novel. (Saved me the time of going into the internet to do my own research.) I have pre-ordered her next book. She writes a fascinating historical read!

In Rome 1559, Sofonisba Anguissola is training to be one of the first female painters of the Renaissance. Under the tutelage of Michelangelo, she begins to stretch her talent to heights unheard of for a woman at the time. Her father places a lot of faith in her abilities and provides her with the best teachers, but her status as a woman means she cannot study, sketch, or paint the naked body. This leaves her with little understanding of the human form itself, and she is told it adds an inhibited quality to her work that she struggles to overcome.

During her time in Rome, she meets and falls in love with another student of Michelangelo's, Tiberio Calcagni. Their brief affair causes her shame, and she leaves the city hoping that what happened between her and Tiberio will not be found out by her father, who worked so hard to make sure she would have the chance to learn her craft.

Unaware of what will happen between her and Tiberio as there is no forthcoming proposal of marriage, she takes a position as a lady-in-waiting to Elisabeth of Valois, the young bride of Felipe II, the King of Spain. She is to teach the young Queen how to draw and paint. Since she can no longer sign anything with her name as she is now part of the court, she begins to look at painting differently and even asks questions of the King's official painter. Unfortunately, her sad love life, or lack thereof, weighs heavily on her. The love trials of the young Queen breaks Sofi's heart, while all this time she wonders silently about Tiberio and what they had together. The King's sister, who is not a fan of Michelangelo's, constantly tells Sofi about his troubles with the Spanish Inquisition and that his paintings and sculptures are to be destroyed. This causes her only more suffering and pain as she is left to wonder what will happen to Tiberio and if their affair will be exposed.

Sofi's heart suffers while she is at court, and the growing attraction she sees between the Queen and the King's brother, Don Juan, brings her even more heartbreak. Her choices are limited, and she struggles with her heart, who she is, and what she must do for the Queen.

Very little action takes place in this novel, but the affairs of the heart take center stage. You're aware the entire time that the story is being told by an artist. The descriptions, colors and experiences are filtered through an eye that is always looking for shape, texture and depth. Sofi is easy to become attached to. She is immensely talented and yet held back at the same time because of her sex.

Told through diary entries, each chapter begins with a painting hint or fact. I loved that the story was told through Sofi's point of view as it allowed you to get close to the characters. Sofi's descriptions of the court, the Queen's dresses, the other ladies-in-waiting, and the palaces are wonderful; it's as if you're watching and hearing the conversations firsthand.

Sofi's guilt over her failed affair with Tiberio remains raw after many years and only becomes amplified when the Queen's love problems become outwardly noticeable. She ends up trapped, and those feelings prompt her to do things she knows are wrong. But she doesn't stop herself, and you come to really appreciate that quality in her. She is the artist looking for a true color to paint or a true feeling to experience again.

Oddly enough, very little painting takes place in this book about a painter. Somehow that's a good thing, as you come to know the artist behind the easel instead. For anyone who loves historical fiction, THE CREATION OF EVE is a great read. You finish the last page wanting to know more about everyone in the story.