Artemisia Gentileschi

Artemisia Gentileschi

One of the first and only female artists to be popular in the seventeenth century was Artemisia Gentileschi, who was a decade ahead of her time. Her Baroque paintings, which continued in the lines of Caravaggio, were among her generation's most dramatic and energetic. She made headlines for her realism, skillful use of chiaroscuro, and placing women and their tales at the center of all of her works. Her trying to survive works offer singularly personal views on the cultural and social norms of the time, which she commonly deliberately subverted. She did this by using her placement as an artist to convey a message about how gender society was and to shift the discussion to female agency.

Early life

On July 8, 1593, in Rome, Artemisia Gentileschi was born to their parents Prudentia Montone (who passed away when Artemisia was 12) and famous painter Orazio Gentileschi. Gentileschi, the oldest of several kids, rapidly exhibited an affinity for art and started studying under her father. Caravaggio, the contentious painter at the forefront of the Rome art scene, was friends with Orazio. Orazio and Michelangelo were once charged with creating malicious graffiti on another painter on the streets of Rome. Caravaggio was close with the Gentileschi family. Orazio testified during the trial that the famous artist visited their home to take some angel wings, implying that the older child Artemisia would have met him. Nevertheless, when Artemisia was 13 years old, Rembrandt was accused of murder and was ordered to leave Rome for Naples. Despite this, both Orazio's and Artemisia's works show Caravaggio's influence.

Early Training 


Along with fellow painter Agostino Tassi, Orazio was recruited in 1611 to adorn the Palazzo Pallavicini-Rospigliosi in Rome. Orazio engaged Tassi to be Artemisia's coach to help the 17-year-old artist enhance her painting style. As a result, Tassi had direct access to Artemisia, and he raped her during one of their extra lessons. She afterward spoke about the experience, "He then pushed me onto the edge of the mattress while putting his palm on my breast, and to prevent me from crossing my legs, he placed a knee somewhere between them. He lifted my garments and covered my lips with a towel to stop me from shouting ".

After the rape, Artemisia began dating Tassi to get married, but Tassi later denied to marry her. Orazio made the rare option to file rape allegations against him, and the ensuing trial lasted 7 months. The fact that Artemisia was a virgin before Tassi raped her was significant in this situation. Other embarrassing information came to light throughout the trial, including claims that Tassi had killed his wife. Artemisia was submitted to a gynecological checkup as part of the court procedures (to support her claim that she had been a virgin), and she was abused with metal bits to verify the integrity of her testimony. This kind of suffering may have been catastrophic for an artist, but fortunately, Artemisia's fingers weren't irreparably harmed. Her emotional testimony, in which she implies that she may have killed Tassi after the rape, provides insight into her nature and resolve.

Tassi was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to deportation from Rome as vengeance. But because of Tassi's creative talent, the Pope offered him protection, so this judgment was never carried out. Interestingly, many more of Artemisia Gentileschi's later artworks depict women either being harassed by males or seeking retribution from men in roles of power.

Orazio set up Artemisia's wedding to the painter Pierantonio Stiattesi a month after the trial was over. The two traveled to Florence, the city of Stiattesi's birth. Here, she was granted one of her first significant contracts for a fresco at Michelangelo's residence, Casa Buonarotti, which his great-nephew was converting into a mausoleum and museum dedicated to the artist.

Developed Period

Artemisia, who resided in Florence, was the first woman to be admitted to the esteemed Accademia delle Arti del Disegno (the Academy of Arts and Drawing). This allowed her to sign her own agreements and buy her art supplies without her husband's consent. Furthermore, she won the allegiance of Cosimo II de Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, from whom she obtained several prosperous assignments.

Artemisia and her husband welcomed a daughter in 1618, who they called Prudentia in honor of Artemisia's late mother. Around this period, Artemisia began a deep relationship with Francesco Maria di Niccol Maringhi, a Florentine nobleman. Many letters sent by Artemisia to Maringhi and found by the scholar Francesco Solinas in 2011 confirm their connection. Unusually, Artemisia's husband was aware of the relationship and spoke with Maringhi physically using his wife's love notes. Maringhi may have contributed to the couple's ability to keep their financial stability, which was a constant worry due to Stiattesi's careless handling of funds.

Financial difficulties and extensive suspicions about Artemisia's affair led to a dispute in both marriages, and in 1621, Artemisia left Rome alone. In this setting, she collaborated with numerous of Caravaggio's disciples, including the painter Simon Vouet, and remained affected by his inventions. She did not have the same level of success in Rome as she had anticipated, and near the end of the decade, she spent some time in Venice, possibly looking for fresh contracts.

After life

Gentileschi traveled to Naples in 1630 and continued her solitary life there while living without her husband (but with her daughter). There, she cooperated with several good artists, notably Massimo Stanzione. Artemisia was invited to Charles I of England's court in London in 1638. Her father had served as the court artist since 1626. Orazio made headlines as the sole Italian painter in London and one of the pioneers of the Caravaggio school in England. Even though they had not already seen one other in more than 17 years, Orazio and Artemisia's reunification is seldom ever recounted in history. Artemisia created some of her most well-known pieces in London, including her Personality as the Allegory of Artwork (1638). She may have assisted her father on an emblematic fresco for Queen Henrietta Maria of England, Charles I's wife, who lived in Greenwich. Artemisia's assistance was probably needed to finish this colossal job since Orazio, who would have been an older man, passed away in 1639 at 75.

After her father's passing, Artemisia seems to have lived in London for a while. However, she had undoubtedly departed England by the time the English Civil War began in 1642Her later location is unknown. Still, a conversation with her benefactor Don Antonio Ruffo seems to imply that she went back to Naples. Their last communication was dated 1650, indicating that she was still engaged. It is unknown when she passed away; however, there is some evidence to show that she was still employed in Naples in 1654. It has been suggested that she might have passed away from the plague that ravaged the town in 1656.

Artwork by Artemisia Gentileschi

Susanna and the Elders 1610

Danae 1612

Judith Slaying Holofernes 1620

Lucretia 1623-25

Cleopatra 1633-1635

Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting 1638-39

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