Female Court Painter - ala Disney's Belle!

[Squire_Kit]

Salutations all!

I'm working on creating a possible character for my upcoming local renaissance festival. Simply put she is a cross between Disney's Belle and me. Belle, in the fact of appearance and distracted, yet pleasant mannerisms. But like me in the sense, that I want to make the character an artist as well as some of my own personality interjected into there. The problems I'm having at the moment is dealing with the historical aspects. I have a few questions that I would really appreciate some help with!

1.) Belle is a French name (and perhaps too obvious). I need some help coming up with a name. Ideas?

2.) Social rank is the biggest issue I'm having. The background I'm thinking of that my character is from a low-ranking merchant family with a cooky inventer father (ala Maurice). However, her father's brother, Walter (aka "Walt" Disney), who is a local London artist, has noticed her artistic talent and has made the unusual move to make her his apprentice. (I'm basing this aspect of the character off of such notable female court painters as Levina Teerlinc, Catharina van Hemessen, Sofonisba Anguissola, etc.) Sir Walter is favoured in Elizabeth's court as a painter (though not necessarily an appointed one, as I don't want to mess with history too much). So what rank would my character then possess? She moves from another town in England to London, much nearer to the royal court with her uncle. What social rank were court painters? What rank would her Uncle Walter be? Would Belle take on a similar social status as her uncle's apprentice or would she retain her lower-class merchant status from home?

3.) My character is unmarried. I remember reading that unmarried woman did not wear headwear. Is that true? For I was also told that all adult women had to wear headdresses.

Here's some other notes I've made about the character....

- Protestant
- She's unmarried and society fears her being a spinster. Perhaps she was brought under her Uncle's tutelage not only because of her artistic talents, but also hoping that her move to London with her classic beauty would finally get her under the eye of a few good suitors.
- The festival itself is a place she can unwind somewhat. But she is also under 'orders' by her uncle to draw various things at the festival (as my poor character gets distracted too easily).

****Appearance
- I'm basing the gown I make after Belle's green library dress from the Disney film. However, it'll make a big difference what rank my character would be as to how the final dress looks!

[McGuinness]

There were female painters during the period. Maybe it would help you to look at their history and lives to build your character? You can find a lot of them on Wikipedia:

Marietta Robusti
Irene di Spilimbergo
Caterina van Hemessen
Properzia de'Rossi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woman_artists

[DonaCatalina]

A little late for this topic.... but my favorite is Sofonisba Anguissola

This would be a great character for someone to portray.