Christine de Pizan or Pisan, was an Italian-born French poet and court writer for King Charles VI of France and several French dukes.
Christine de Pizan (sitting) lecturing to a group of men standing
One page of Christine's book Le livre des trois vertus. In the illumination Christine is kept from rest by the Three Virtues.
Christine de Pizan presents her book to Isabeau of Bavaria, Queen of France.
Illumination from The Book of the City of Ladies. Christine is shown before the personifications of Rectitude, Reason, and Justice in her study, and working alongside Justice to build the 'Cité des dames'.
The Book of the City of Ladies
The Book of the City of Ladies, or Le Livre de la Cité des Dames, is a book written by Christine de Pizan believed to have been finished by 1405. Perhaps Pizan's most famous literary work, it is her second work of lengthy prose. Pizan uses the vernacular French language to compose the book, but she often uses Latin-style syntax and conventions within her French prose. The book serves as her formal response to Jean de Meun's popular Roman de la Rose. Pizan combats Meun's statements about women by creating an allegorical city of ladies. She defends women by collecting a wide array of famous women throughout history. These women are "housed" in the City of Ladies, which is actually the book. As Pizan builds her city, she uses each famous woman as a building block for not only the walls and houses of the city, but also as building blocks for her thesis. Each woman introduced to the city adds to Pizan's argument towards women as valued participants in society. She also advocates in favour of education for women.
Illustration from The Book of the City of Ladies