[7] She later studied under the Netherlandish artist Denis Calvaert, who had once been a pupil of Prospero and who ran an influential painting school in Bologna.

[1] Fontana married the Count of Imola, Gian Paolo Zappi, (alternate spellings include Giovan and Fappi), one of her father’s pupils, in June 1577.

Fontana attended classes at the University of Bologna, and was listed as one of the city's Donne addottrinate (women with doctorates) in 1580.

[17] Her relationships with female clients were often unusually warm; multiple women who sat for portraits, such as the Duchess of Sora Constanza Sforza Boncompagni, later served as namesakes or godmothers for Fontana's children.

Along with portraits, Fontana created a substantial number of extensive altar pieces, and it is believed that she may be one of the first female painters to have done this.

[22] In 1593, Cardinal Gabriele Paleotti commissioned the Assumption of the Virgin, created by Fontana for the chapel altarpiece of the church of San Pietro in Bologna.

"[3] She was the first female elected into the Accademia di San Luca of Rome,[26] and was the recipient of numerous honors,[2] including a bronze portrait medallion cast in 1611 by sculptor and architect Felice Antonio Casoni.

[25] According to Jean Owens Schaefer, the reverse side of the medal depicts Pittura, an allegorical figure representing painting.

[1] Sofonisba Anguissola, Caterina Vigri, and Properzia de' Rossi may have influenced Fontana's artistic career.

[29] The Counter-Reformation and the Council of Trent's recommendations for religious art defined Fontana's treatment of subjects and themes in her paintings.

[30] Excellent status as a daughter, wife, and mother was a prerequisite to her career due to the moral standards of the day.

[31] The influence of Mannerism is noticeable in Fontana's close attention to detail in her paintings and the significance of the materials surrounding the subject.

[39] Among art historians, there is a controversy regarding the means and models used by Fontanta to depict male and female nudes in her paintings.

Additionally, Murphy points out that during Fontana's lifetime, it was socially unacceptable for women to be exposed to nudity; if it was discovered that she used live nude models, her reputation would be tarnished.

[40] Linda Nochlin writes that art academies barred women from viewing any nude body, despite this being a crucial part of an artist's training.