Isotta Nogarola

Isotta Nogarola (* 1418 in Verona, † 1466 in Venice) was an Italian humanist and writer.

Life

Isotta and her sister Ginevra studied together at Martino Rizzoni, a pupil of Guarino da Verona. In the period 1434-1440, the sisters corresponded with the most eminent humanists of the Renaissance. Perhaps deterred by the example of her sister Ginevra, who broke off their studies after her marriage, Isotta put down a self-proclaimed vow of chastity. Then she spent withdrawn from the rest of the family, her life alone in the library in the home of her mother. In 1441 she began to study theology.

Isottas most famous work was the basis of a lively correspondence with the humanist Ludovico Foscarini. It was triggered by the saying of St. Augustine that Eve more to blame for original sin as Adam wearing. In the dialog, on the same or different sin of Eve and Adam, Isotta therefore discussed the question of whether the woman is inferior to man. It applies with a Latin Diolog and several letters as the first woman of the Renaissance, which contributed to humanistic culture. The written texts were not published until 1885 Isottas in Vienna.