Judith and her Maidservant

Artemisia Gentileschi

Judith and her Maidservant
Image Courtesy of Carol Gerten

Born in 1593, she was the daughter of famous artist, Orazio Gentileschi, she was probably the first great female artist. An artist of the Baroque, she was highly influenced by the works of her father and Caravaggio. During that time, women were left out of many classes, especially those with nude models, which put her at a disadvantage, but regardless of that, her talents soared.

She began her training under a friend of her father, Abostino Tassi. Tassi had little interest in teaching a woman, and he ended up raping Artemisia. It was a landmark event in her life and the experience often showed through her paintings. She had a high level of intensity and expression in her images, and often painted violent scenes of women seeking revenge from a man, especially Judith Beheading Holofernes. Tassi was sued and convicted in 1612.

She wasn't thought of as an artist revolutionary styles that the Baroque movement was known for, but her role as a female artist was large. She made a name for herself and paved the way for women artists. Her paintings featured people as subjects, despite the fact that she could not go through the normal training male artists go through, yet she painted it with such grace and character like the famous male artists during that time.

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