“Self-Portrait as a Female Martyr,” Artemisia Gentileschi, 1615.

Laura Cordes Humanities 122 C11

In 1593, the daughter of Roman painter Orazio Gentileschi was born. Artemisia Gentileschi’s young life was spent learning art from her father and his friend Agostino Tassi, and her early paintings echoed her instructors Baroque style. (“Gentileschi, Artemisia”,Encyclopedia Britannica).Gentileschi possessed a remarkable gift for capturing the spirit of her subjects, primarily Biblical heroines and noblewomen, on canvas. Only after a traumatic event in Gentileschi’s lifedid this singular gift take shape. She overcametremendous obstacles and emerged from the male-dominated art world of Post-Renaissance Italy to gain recognition as an artist of exceptional skill. However, until recently, history has largely ignored Gentileschi’s work and her unique vision of history, art, and the female psyche. Artemisia Gentileschi,

Portrait Of A Lady, 17th

Century.

Madonna and Child, Artemisia Gentileschi, 1609.

The Deposition of the Christ,Caravaggio, 1602-1604.

Baroque art, a style expressive of “grandeur, sensuous richness, drama, vitality, movement, tension, emotional exuberance, and a tendency to blur distinctions between the various arts” ("Baroque period." Encyclopædia Britannica.), defined Gentileschi’s instructors’ style, and thus, her style as well. A comparison between the two paintings shown clearly demonstrates the influence of the Baroque master on Gentileschi’s work.

Madonna and Child, Artemisia Gentileschi. Date unknown.

In both versions of “Madonna and Child”, the painting shown here an earlier version than the painting shown on the prior slide, Gentileschi used tenebrism to emphasize the dynamism and emotional complexity of the scene. Caravaggio, a powerful influence on Gentileschi’s style, developed this technique of creating stark contrast between a darkened backgroundand luminous foreground to illustrate dramatic interaction between characters and setting. As her style developed into the vivid and often shocking style that set her apart from other female artists of her time, Gentileschi’s use of tenebrism underlined the dramatic stories and monumental characters that her artwork portrayed. (“Gentileschi, Artemisia.” Encyclopedia Britannica.)

“Susanna and the Elders,” Artemisia Gentileschi, 1610.

As Gentileschi’s individual style blossomed, her paintings boldly illustrated the contrast between female vulnerability and outrage toward male intrusion. For example, in the painting shown here, a woman attempts to resist two males who invade her private bathing space. Susanna, a biblical heroine often painted as a temptress by male Renaissance artists, appears frightened and unable to defend herself, with one hand shielding her face while the other pushes only at air, failing to repel her attackers (http://www.webwinds.com/artemisia/trial.htm).

This painting very likely serves as a reflection of Gentileschi’s own personal trauma. At the age of 19, Gentileschi suffered the sexual assault of her instructor, Agostino Tassi. A court case initiated by Gentileschi’s father soon followed. Under torture, Gentileschi denied Tassi’s guilt, and although a judge convicted him, after eight months he was released from prison (http://www.webwinds.com/artemisia/trial.htm). Although Gentileschi never received justice under the law of her time, through her paintings, she created justice for herself and for other female victims of violence.

“Judith Slaying Holofernes” is another example of Caravaggio’s influence over Gentileschi’s work, and yet, the differences remain striking. In Caravaggio’s painting of the same title, Judith appears hesitant, and her companion is far older than Judith’s companion Abra (in red).

“Judith Slaying Holofernes”, Artemisia Gentileschi, 1620.

“Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting,” Artemisia Gentileschi, 1630.

When the trial had ended, Gentileschi left Rome behind her. She married and moved to Florence, where she continued her art studies. The Baroque influence of her instructors remained visible in her work, and its intensely contrasting style became her signature. Rather than inventing new styles or techniques, she worked within an established form , and used it to express the psychological drama she found within both historical events and daily life. Eventually, she eclipsed her father in notoriety, although for centuries historians had incorrectly credited several of her pieces to Orzio Gentileschi. Toward the end of her life, she made Naples her home. Although it is believed that she ultimately retired from painting there, little accurate information is available about Artemisia Gentileschi after 1640. (“Gentileschi, Artemisia.” Encyclopedia Britannica).

In a time when women were considered either virtuous or sensuous, Artemisia Gentileschi showed a third possibility – woman as heroine. For this reason, contemporary feminists enthusiastically claim her as their own. Although Gentileschi’s strong, heroic female subjects inspire admiration, critics argue that viewing her work this way is far too simplistic and inaccurate. A 1997 French film titled, “Artemisia” paints the artist as a sensual and headstrong woman ahead of her time rather than the victim of sexual assault, but the film’s inaccuracies also are glaringly evident. For instance, its claim that Gentileschi was not attacked but instead was in love with Tassi is verifiably false. Perhaps Gentileschi’s stereotype-defiant complexity explains why she continues to inspire controversy.

“Clio, the Muse of History,” Artemisia Gentileschi, 1632.

The definitions of the word “genius” are as diverse as the geniuses in the world, past and present. Sometimes, a genius is one who shows a vision of the world that people have always felt but never expressed. I believe this is the key to Gentileschi’s genius. Beyond her technical mastery of the Baroque style, especially her signature tenebrism, she used the style as a method to show history from a revolutionary point of view. Neither painting women as saints or temptresses, she showed them as dynamic, intelligent, and active forces in a world that often remained beyond their control. In a time when women were thought incapable of rational thought, she argued through vivid imagery that history is made by and belongs to both males and females.

“The Angel,” Artemisia Gentileschi,1614.

The humanities tells the story of human accomplishes, aspirations, and motives. Humanity’s story comes from broadly diverse perspectives and experiences. Artemisia Gentileschi’s contribution to the humanities lives in the images of her subjects, women who set out not to change the world but only to find a safe place for themselves. Through her sometimes shocking imagery, she demonstrated the outrage that surfaces in women who confront injustice. In the Renaissance age, despite its artistic and social advancements, a place for strong and intelligent women was difficult to find. Artemisia Gentileschi created such a place for herself and for her viewers, if only on canvas. She also patronized the arts and sciences, and as a member of the Academy of Design included noted humanists of her time as companions (Brash, Larry).

Brash, Larry. “The Life and Art of Artemisia Gentileschi.” 2005. http://www.artemisia-gentileschi.com/index.shtml

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/G/gentileschi.html#bio "Baroque period." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.

29 Feb.  2008  <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9013445>. http://archive.salon.com/ent/movies/feature/1998/05/15feature.html

"Gentileschi, Artemisia." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 29 Feb.  2008  <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9036435>.