She is remembered as one of history’s greatest femme fatales, a cunning, double-crossing spy who was responsible for the deaths of up to 50,000 men. But was Mata Hari really that deadly, or was she instead just the scapegoat France needed at the time?
Artists
Maria Anna Mozart – Forgotten Genius
When it comes to Mozart, words such as ‘genius’ and ‘prodigy’ are usually assigned to Wolfgang. Yet it was Maria Anna, Wolfgang’s elder sister, about whom these words were first written - she may have even been the greater genius of the family, but sadly we will never know. Nannerl's talent and compositions have been lost, forgotten and eclipsed by her brother.
Artemisia Gentileschi – Spirit of Caesar
Forgotten by history for hundreds of years, Artemisia Gentileschi is only now starting to reclaim her rightful place among the great Baroque painters. Often overshadowed by early tragedies, she nevertheless made her way in a world that rarely gave opportunities to women.
Miriam Makeba – Mama Africa
Posthumously labelled by Nelson Mandela as ‘South Africa’s first lady of song’, Miriam Makeba has been credited with bringing African music to the West. She was a vocal campaigner against apartheid and often used her songs to spread awareness internationally, though she maintained that her music was not political.
Frida Kahlo – Painting Her Own Reality
Though her image is easily recognisable today, Frida Kahlo spent her lifetime in relative obscurity. Now an icon of the feminist, Chicano, and LGBT movements, many aspects of Kahlo's life are often overlooked, including her disability and bisexuality.