Lives of Artemisia Gentileschi

Abstract

Artemisia Gentileschi was a prominent painter in the Italian Baroque style and the most influential female artist of her day. Gentileschi is known for spreading Caravaggio's popular dramatic style throughout Italy and expanding what the world thought possible of female artists. She notably represented women as powerful and courageous, subverting contemporary stereotypes of feminine weakness and timidity. This volume presents texts illuminating Gentileschi's life and career, from excerpts of testimonies from her 1612 rape trial, to letters she wrote to prominent friends and acquaintances like Galileo, to contemporary biographies. These writings provide a fascinating look at the artist who remains a key figure in feminist art histories.