The times, however, were not so kind. Being a female artist, Anguissola was not allowed to look at nudes, recreate biblical images, or access the same materials and teachings as men. Limited but not squelched, she turned to portraits to continue her work without the same luxuries as the male artists of the day. This particular portrait highlights the genius of Anguissola within the slim context of her artistic freedoms. As she paints the romanticized Madonna and Child, she paints herself in the casual, simple, attire, she typically wore while in practice. Here her ability to restrict color to one side of the piece and contrast the regal with the simple is made clear. In painting a biblical figure alongside herself, new-found notion of personal faith and feminist presence are depicted. A innovative female of the period, Anguissola battles boundaries to create exquisite influential works.