Epilogue
Sofonisba and Orazio were married shortly before Christmas 1579 in the chapel of the monastery of San Matteo in Pisa.
Possibly following pressure applied by Asdrubale, Francesco I de' Medici, who had become Grand Duke of Tuscany, wrote personally to the artist to dissuade her from such an ill-considered marriage, unsuitable for a lady of her rank, opposed by her family and in all probability by the Crown too. In her reply Sofonisba informed him that sadly the nuptials had already been celebrated, reminding him laconically that “marriages are first made in heaven and then on earth.”
During the many years spent in Genoa, Sofonisba played an active role in the stimulating cultural life of the city, where she painted a considerable number of portraits and religious works, creating
