Guda

Guda was a 12th-century nun and illuminator from Germany. She is credited as creating the oldest known example of a signed self-portrait of a woman in an illuminated manuscript. (The manuscript is Frankfurt Universitätsbibliothek Ms. Barth. 42; Guda's portrait appears on folio 110v; the manuscript is posted here.)

Self-Portrait Guda created a self-portrait in an initial letter in the 12th century Homiliary of St. Bartholomew (now in the Frankfurt am Main Staatsbibliothek). Although there may have been other female illuminators such as Claricia, a laywoman in a Bavarian Scriptorium, Herrad's proof of her authorship is consistent on this manuscript. Herrad chose which religious texts to omit and include depending on her liking,