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There are many women artists in the art history, more than any contemporary art critic could suppose.
As far as I know, single most important woman painter (prior to 20th century) was Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1652). She had been exposed to art at an early age and it was her father (a well-known Roman artist, Orazio Gentileschi) who provided and supported her artistic development. Orazio was a friend and admirer of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, and Artemisia eventually became one of the most accomplished followers of that great baroque painter (in the history of art his followers are known as "Carravagisti").
Sofonisba Anguissola was born sixty years before Artemisia (c.1535-1625). She became a celebrated portrait painter at the court of Philip II of Spain. Sofonisba was some kind of "international celebrity" of her time, who had been praised by Michelangelo and lionized by painters across Europe.
In the following centuries there were more than a few important women artists, especially in 19th century which "spawned" many women watercolourists, oil painters, illustrators, miniaturists and large scale artists, portraitists, Pre-Raphaelite followers, symbolists, botanical and animal painters, genre and landscape artists...often of high calibre.
Some of them would certainly have became Academicians except for the disqualification of their gender (Margaret Carpenter or Florinda Shaples, to mention just a two).
Among most prominent women artists of that time, in my opinion, were Botticelli influenced Evelyn De Morgan, remarkable colourist Kate Elizabeth Bounce, versatile painters Mrs. Sophie Anderson and Anna Lea Merritt, poetic watercolourist Hellen Allingham and particulary Marie Stillman (whose works reflect her love of the frescos of Ghirlandaio and Benozzo Gozzoli as well as strong influence of D. G. Rossetti).
French paintress Rosa Bonheur was awarded the cross of the Legion d'Honneur, conferred on her by Empress Eugenie, who declared that "genius has no sex". Her example, particulary her ability to work on a heroic scale, provided inspiration for Elizabeth Thompson, better known by her married name, Lady Butler. Throughout her studies she was guided by a determination to became a military (!) painter. She had a little competition in Britain, for in contrast to France, there was no great tradition of military painters such as for instance, Horace Vernet.
Both Bonheur and Thompson surpassed any male competition in their chosen genres, which they practised with great authority.
(I listed here only western ladies, though there were women artists elsewhere, of course...)
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